The Vampyric Toddler
by SithofSorrow
Summary: A fiveyearold becomes the newest fledgling of Alucard's vampire family! How do you think she'll fare as the newest member of Hellsing? Read to find out! Chapter 13 up!
1. Chapter 1

Hello, readers! Um...this is my first fanfiction story here, and I hope all who read it enjoy it very much! If you don't...um—um...I'm very sorry, and if it doesn't change anything drastically, just tell me, and I'll think about it! Also...um...I need help with coming up with a nickname for my character, so if any reader would mind...as you read, could you help me a bit with it? Thank you if you do! Please comment 'n stuff!! --SithofSorrow  
  
Disclaimer: Sadly...I don't own Hellsing...although I REALLY wish I did...Oh well! It's good being a fan, right?? Someday though...I WILL own an anime! MWUAHAHAHA!  
  
**CHAPTER 1:**  
  
Beautiful music played in the background of an average sized home. Blood stained every room like splattered paint. Behind the gorgeous orchestrated music, eerie, deathly silence followed. Butcher knives and other homely weapons had bored into the walls and into shadowed, gashed, torn, and cracked bodies all over the floor and against the partitions. Bawling echoed from a hallway, along with a loud snicker. Before the cry, a giant scream reverberated throughout the house. Based on that shriek and the sob, the choking gurgle of a ripped jugular vein walked upon the scream's former path, and the cry's sorrowful grave. Beyond the house, a small child no older than the age of five or seven hid underneath a bed within a small room. Built as a guest house, the room she hid within seemed seventy meters or so away from the original house, saving her from the horrible event currently concluding inside the larger house.  
At least...that had become what she hoped.  
The room had dark blue walls, with every other piece of furniture made out of silver or burgundy-stained wood with black cushions. There inside the guest room, her father had hidden her wisely, choosing a place where hopefully no one would choose to look. Though she trusted her father with everything her five-year-old heart believed in, the sound of the killers approaching forced her to clutch her throat to silence a coming whimper of fear. The fact that her entire family had chosen _her_—the youngest one—to, hopefully, live had surprised her greatly. Thousands of times, her family had treated her like a slave or had beaten her for simply doing or saying something wrong, but they had always apologized before. They had always—_always_—asked for forgiveness then they would hope to make her smile again. The little girl, Celia Pares, remembered that her family had, for some reason, adored her smile. Then this happened—strangers came to the house, seeming to act like bloodthirsty monsters—and in fact, it had ended up true.  
Sensing the danger the visitors held within their eyes, Celia's father had a very fast discussion with the entire family—except for Celia. Soon, her father had come running towards her as she approached to complain about hearing loud screaming in her sleep. Since evening had fallen into late night, she had slept for only three hours before hearing some horrible screeching. She had awoken to ask her father why, but Celia soon discovered that the yelling had not come from a dream; it had turned into a living nightmare within her own family's home.  
If her siblings had suddenly begun to suffer, Celia wanted to find out for sure, but her father had forbid it. Immune to her complaining, her father had swiftly lifted her up and ran outside through the house's back door, sprinting to their guest house as fast as he could.  
"Celia," Her father began, trying to shush her as she cried in reluctance, trying to reach for the house behind them. "Listen to me, Celia. I know that you want to make sure that everyone's all right, but you can't!"  
The girl's father opened the guest room's door rapidly and set her down on the bed. "Why?" The sobbing child asked, trying to escape from his large hands holding her down tightly by her upper arms. "What's wrong? What's happening to mum and my brothers and sisters?"  
"I'm sorry, but you _must_ stay here. Do you understand?! You have to hide somewhere in here from those strangers, alright?" Her father shook her vigorously by her small shoulders, and she nodded quickly, wincing at his tight, nervous grip. "That's a good girl..." He hugged her tightly, releasing her as soon as he could for fear that she would try to grab back onto him. "Remember..._you must stay here_, and be a quiet as you possibly can, understand?!"  
Celia had nodded in fear, holding back her tears and her choking sobs, her face burning red as she struggled not to cry. Checking to see that she would not follow him, her father had looked back at her before disappearing through the door back outside. Could she ever see them again—see her family? Courage—or a small amount of it—took control of her and she quickly climbed down from the bed. Crawling under the mattress, she shivered in dread and cold, listening to the footsteps of her father outside running back to the house. Counting how many footsteps it took him to return to the house, she tried to curl up in a ball to keep her calm and warm.  
Did they all escape from the strangers yet? Dread filled her mind as a blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the night. Darkness surrounded her, but she didn't worry about the dark. Deep within the darkness, she could always find comfort somehow, even if she felt scared. During the lethal silence after the screech, Celia scratched her nails against the wood floor, trying to create any type of noise to keep from going insane from the quietness of the night.  
Now we arrive where the story first began.  
She no longer heard any screaming from the house. Seeing some moonlight shining on the floor from a window, she hoped that she could use it as a sign if one of the strangers' shadows crossed the windowpane. Screams from before would rewind and repeat themselves in her mind, forcing her to try and hold back another loud whine lest she end up found where her father had tried so hard to keep her safe. Somehow they would survive—she thought to herself—they would all survive, and come looking for her. Stretching her fingers, she watched the moonlight silently on the floor, listening to the crickets outside chirruping to the night in what sounded like mournful songs of death. Such a word—death—seemed so sharp now, her young mind thought wisely as she nursed a wound on her arm from the loose pieces of wood under the bed. Somehow her heart had sunk into her stomach as her mind repeatedly told her that she would never see her family again like a broken record.  
Celia gasped quietly as she heard some people speaking outside. Clumping footsteps thudded against the floor...  
...Heading towards the guest house.  
What had happened to her parents? What about her siblings? William? Warren? What about Linda, Rena, Alexander, and Patricia? Who could protect her now? Where could police forces possibly have hidden? Would they ever come? Would they have heard the horrible screaming coming from the house? Wouldn't neighbors hear the terrible sounds and call someone to complain or warn them?  
These questions filled her mind and she held back a cry, clenching her small hands into fists as she heard rapping against the door. The thought of never really knowing her family before such a catastrophe frightened her. They might have treated her badly sometimes, but they had apologized for it before! Though she wished occasionally that she could live by herself without anyone to hurt her...she never meant it literally! To actually lose something so precious to her...Teal eyes shut tightly in terror at the horrible thought. Tonight, everything she had would end up lost.  
Celia's body jumped in shock as the guest room's door suddenly slammed open. Cold shivers ran up and down her spine as she heard the heavy footsteps echo through the room. Crying silently, tears spilling down her face, she moved as quietly as she could to the darkest shadows under the bed, hoping no one would spot her, or hear her.  
However, her hand ran into something wooden and it scraped against the ground, making the stomping footsteps all around her jump in surprise and turn, scuffling towards the bed.  
Celia's heart and bile from her stomach rose up into her throat as she could smell the scent of blood, and heard the three strangers begin to laugh hysterically from the wooden, scraping sound.  
What could possibly save her from such a hellish nightmare? Why had her senses suddenly filled with the scent of blood?  
Did anyone in the world that existed wish to save the life of a five- year-old?  
  
Alucard stood up slowly from his seat on a wall, crushing a small bag of blood in his hand, staring at the house from afar. "These vampires must be thirsty," He smirked. "Well, I suppose eight isn't enough to split between three bloodsuckers..." The no-life-king's smirk changed into a wide grin. "Now it's their turn to scream." He walked slowly towards the guest house, in which Celia and her predators stood within. Alucard, however, did not know what to expect that the three amateur vampires hunted for. If he did, his anticipation gave him the idea that whatever they had hunted had already passed away.  
Just like the rest of the rather unfortunate family.  
_Police girl...I'm counting on you to kill _two_ of the vampires...Do you understand?_  
Further away from the area, Seras Victoria nodded slowly in confirmation at hearing his words in her mind, preparing her Harkonnen slowly with intent red eyes. "Yes, sir, I understand."  
Alucard chuckled to himself as he walked down the hill towards the house. "There is no use for the restriction systems tonight...These three appear to be more, simple, maggot vampires..." The setting sun finally disappeared from view and he moved out of the shadows, his sunglasses just barely showing his fiery red eyes. "What a disappointment..." He grinned.  
Seras sighed lightly, taking her time as she set up a large bullet within her weapon. "Kill two of them..." She bowed her head lightly. "That poor family...if only we had come sooner,"  
"There is one child left from that family...but those three vampires within the compound most likely have killed her already, I'm afraid." Her new commander muttered.  
The police girl stared at the ground. "I don't know whether I should be happy or sad for her...If she dies as well, she'll see her family again. However..." Victoria looked up towards the house and the guest compound. "If she's still alive, it also means she can still have a chance to live,"  
"Hmm," Victoria's commander said, nodding in agreement. "I'd rather she lived, though. Such a young thing deserves much better than this."  
"Yes...I suppose," The police girl mumbled, aiming the gun towards the guest house.  
"If only I didn't feel so guilty either way..." She whispered, staring through one of the guest house's windows.  
  
Celia held back a breath as she listened to the three laughing. Her eyes watered and her head swam in overwhelming surprise of the amount of blood she could smell. She could see by their footsteps that they had walked around in—possibly—large pools of blood.  
Did they get that blood from her family? Had she become the only member of the Pares family?  
Her vision blurred as she thought of it, and shook the horrid image out of her mind. How could she think of such a thing at such a young age? Her brothers should never have chosen to read her horror stories at night...Horror seemed the only thing to fill her mind now. As her mum used to tell her brothers; they had become corrupted by macabre tales.  
In fact, she had become "corrupted" by such things as well, thanks to her siblings.  
She looked up in surprise as one of the strangers' heads poked down to look under the bed, a few inches away from staring at her hidden form. "I smell it..." Slowly, she heard those words the first man whom had spoken licked his fangs and lips. "So delicious."  
"Seems like a five-year-old," A second muttered, smacking his lips together. "That's one of the sweetest, in my opinion..."  
"Let's hope she tastes just as good, or, at least, better than her smell," Another laughed. A raucous laughter began and her spine sent shivers down her back. At the sound of their disgusting laughter, Celia couldn't help but whimper loudly, which attracted the attention of the creature that had peeked under the bed. "Hey, I think we've found the little bugger!"  
Celia's aqua eyes widened in shock, but her closed up throat refused to allow her to scream. She began to hyperventilate and tried to crawl away from the hand that shot out and grabbed her ankle, swiftly pulling the five- year-old from under, making her head collide with the wooden frame of the bed with a loud thud and a loud yelp from the girl.  
"Careful there, mate, wouldn't want its blood to spill so soon," The second man had chuckled. The other two simply stared at her, their eyes full of blood lust. One's clothes looked like a dark, red, stained with the blood from her family. Celia, hanging upside down from the first man's grip, held back tears and she shut her eyes tightly, wriggling around in the creature's fierce, powerful grasp. "Nn...Let—Let go!" She cried, kicking the vampire with her free foot before he grabbed it in his other hand.  
"Stop struggling, you little brat!" The third commanded, slapping her face. Three sharp objects sliced into her eye and the skin around it, apparently broken glass or other sharp fragile items from the house. The child yelped in pain and simply wiggled even more to escape. Torture rang in her mind as she could feel something still stuck within her eyes and she cried, almost hysterically.  
"Blast it, don't kill her, her blood won't be fresh otherwise!" The second man yelled. The loud splat of blood after her yelped had signified that they had wounded her eye horribly, yet...she barely felt it in her fear...in her adrenaline...  
...In her instincts to survive this hellhole.  
Celia flinched, her vision staining into blood red from her body fluids, as well as tears, one streak of white clearing the center of her vision. "L...l-let...g-go..." She whimpered again, closing her eyes tightly in pain. Her throat still refused to clear up completely, only allowing her small phrases and guttural whines and groans. Her arms felt so heavy while she hung upside-down.  
"What for, kid?! I still need to eat another one, and then we'll all be tied!" The man holding her guffawed, and the others joined in his laughter.  
However, the echoing laughter soon cut off as the sound of a gunshot rapidly filled their ears. The three vampires looked around in shock, before the first man suddenly dropped Celia to the floor and collapsed onto the bed, a bullet hole through his heart, the wall behind him broken with a large hole.  
The girl cried out in pain from colliding with the floor, and curled up into a ball, one hand closed around her right eye, the other holding the back of her head in pain. Blood dripped from her right eye immediately, her vision completely lost as the bleeding refused to stop. She couldn't see anything except large dark or light red blurs through the blood, her left eye shut tightly to keep it clean from blood.  
"What the hell was tha--?!" The remaining two yelled, looking around, staring down at their dusted companion in surprise. "Who did that?!"  
The guest house door suddenly slammed open and a man dressed in a long red coat and hat stood in the doorway. "Well...I suppose it's a good thing that you're doing this for thirst...but I believe that you've had far too much to drink. In fact, you've had so much that...you're drunk from the taste."  
"What do you want?" One of the vampires demanded as the other searched for the small child with his eyes carefully.  
"Nothing of value," The newcomer grinned madly. "just your lives." He instantly held up a gun to the second vampire, and the third had suddenly slammed into the wall behind him from two bullet wounds to his head, holes appearing on the same wall as before.  
"W-what..." The second vampire shivered in near fright. "What a-are you doing?!" He stared at the stranger holding a gun to his head; the man's eyes had a blood red hue to it, looking like Hell's fires. "A-aren't you a vampire as well?!"  
"I'm killing you; maggot vampires such as yourself don't deserve to live in this world. You do not know how to live like, nor become, a nosferatu." The man smirked. "Send my regards to the Devil...and his wondrous home of Hell," He pulled the trigger and the weak vampire collapsed to the floor with a loud scream. The three then faded into dust and Alucard slowly grinned again, turning towards the door to leave before he suddenly stopped and looked down at the wood ground, where the small child lay limp, unconscious from a loss of blood. The smile slapped across his face slowly disappeared as he heard her sobbing. _What an irritating noise..._ The vampire thought to himself, watching her small body shake in fear, convulsing occasionally in pain.  
Alucard's hungry vampire eyes watched the dark red pool of blood increase in size around her head and shoulders from her eye.  
He stared for a moment, then smiled lightly and walked over to her, kneeling down and picking her up. He rested her on the bed and grabbed a blanket nearby to wrap around her. Then, the no-life-king paused as the child opened her left eye slowly, her right eye horribly mangled and scarred, a couple of pieces of glass or sharp metal caught within the sensitive membrane. _The pain must seem unbearable to a human..._ Alucard grinned under his breath.  
She stared at him, the unwounded, teal eye staring at him in fear. "A- are you o-one of them?" Celia looked down at the dust piles in surprise. What had happened to them? Tears filled her eyes again, feeling the pain in her eye, and the back of her head from the crash against the bed frame.  
Alucard smirked. "No, I'm not like them...I came here to stop those three maggots." He paused as he turned his head outside towards the large, eerie house. "I suppose we came too late to save anyone else."  
"Y-you mean..." Her left eye overflowed with tears and she sniffed. He watched her silently as she struggled to sit up. "S-so...They're g-gone now? I-I'm al—alone?"  
The vampire king slowly grinned. "Not necessarily...Your family may have died, but now I'm here,"  
She looked up at him in confusion, now sitting up, with one hand over her blinded eye. "Huh...?"  
"Do you want to come with me?" He offered, kneeling down in front of her on the floor. "I can protect you," His smile widened as he watched her shoulders relax at the words. _Why are humans so easy to comfort..._ He asked himself.  
Celia stared at the stranger in curiosity. "Yo-You aren't going t-to hurt me...right?"  
"If you come with me, you'll feel some pain, but then I'll take care of you for as long as you wish." His smile...although she saw insanity within proving his vampire traits, she saw—oddly enough—humanitarian gentleness as well. "However,"  
The girl looked up at him.  
"It's your choice, girl." Although his smile faded slightly and his eyes grew serious, she still saw a hint of his grin. "I don't want to force you, but I don't want you to be by yourself, either." He rested his large hand on her head, ruffling her dark, purplish-red hair slightly with his gloved fingers. "Make your own choice,"  
Celia glanced around the room, seeing her own blood that created a long, thin line of dark red on one side of the walls. The horrible stench of her own blood, as well as her family's, made her sick to her stomach at the smell. She could hear an eerie wind around her and the strange vampire, who she believed wished to help her. If her family had died, she would rather be safe in one man's hands than by herself.  
She looked up at Alucard with determined eyes. "I...I wanna go with you...um..." The child stopped, not knowing the vampire's name.  
"My name...is Alucard."  
"A-aren't you...a v-vampire?" The girl paused, replaying the question quickly in her mind. "I-I mean—not that it matters I me-mean...if you want to h-help me..." He smirked, yet again. _So easily tricked...easily persuaded...Humans really are such horribly weak creatures. They resort to trusting anyone willing to help them when they're afraid or in pain...  
_ "Yes, but I serve a human master, whom you will soon meet, if you come with me. You will become...a servant unto me, but I will not ask anything of you...except to stay nearby..." The nosferatu paused as he saw a smile spread across her face. Honestly, he thought, one of the most adorable smiles even his dark mind could imagine.  
"...Hm." He grinned and stared at the small girl for a moment. "Also...I would like it if you smiled like that as often as you can."  
She blinked, her smile changing into that of a confused look. "Really...? That's all I have to do?"  
He nodded slowly. _They always put so much faith into one that gives them a promise...  
_ Celia's smile slowly returned and she nodded. "I-I want to go w-with you...Mr. Alucard..."  
The vampire smirked and stood back up. He rested his hands on either side of the small child and leaned his face close to hers. Celia shrank back instinctively, but then struggled to sit back up straight again as she recomposed herself. _Even my own master trusts me as her bodyguard...her loyal dog...  
_ "Are you afraid?" The ultimate vampire chuckled.  
Her right eye's wound had blood spilling all over her shirt. She would most likely be blind in that eye, even if he transformed her into a vampire. She nodded lightly, but gave him a small smile. "I'm scared...but...you're helping me...right?" Celia closed her eyes and managed to relax her tense muscles in her shoulders. "I don't mind if it will hurt...but," She looked up at him with her teal left eye, filled with a surprising amount of hope. "I don't want you to go away...if I go with you,"  
"Hmm," Alucard smirked. "Fair enough," He took off his hat and rested it on her head, the size of it making her right, wounded eye disappear behind the blood red fabric. She blinked in curiosity, but seemed to like the huge hat either way, so she smiled again, making Alucard grin again. "All you need to do...Is close your eyes,"  
Celia nodded in confirmation. "Okay," He lifted up a bit of his hat to uncover the shadows over her eyes to make sure they had closed, and he gently held onto her small shoulders.  
She felt his fangs sink through her skin with a rapid pinching sensation, and, in her surprise, smoothly into her veins. After that, she only remembered true darkness caressing her exhaustion into a deep sleep. Maybe...maybe comfort in the darkness...wouldn't seem as bad as she had heard from her parents. If it would seem willing to protect such a small creature like her, wouldn't it feel that it can protect anyone?  
Alucard smirked, reading her quiet thoughts as he finished wrapping the blanket around her small body. "Sleep peacefully," He whispered, picking her up in one arm. "Perhaps the darkness you speak of is much more than meets anyone's eye."  
As he exited the extravagant guest room, he chuckled. "Especially your own eye."  
However, as he left the area, a dark shadow formed within the room, seeming to stare around at the piles of dust, proving the failure of the three vampires. After looking at these piles blankly, the shadow suddenly convulsed and shivered rapidly as though flickering like an old computer screen before disappearing from all view, the dust disappearing along with it as the room grew truly dark.

Thank you for reading! I appreciate it! Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: .....I STILL don't own an anime! But I will!!! OOOhhhhh I WILL!...but Hellsing is by Kouta Hirano and the peeps that made the show, sooo...yeah! Not me!! Not YET!

...Review please!

**CHAPTER 2:**  
  
Integra waited patiently for Alucard's return, holding one of her expensive cigars between her fingers. In the end, Seras had shot two of the vampires, while Alucard dealt with the final one. If the organization had arrived sooner, the family would have survived the attack...but ever since the new members of the Hellsing Organization came in, it had become complicated to get used to new recruits; as well as hard to return to the normal schedule. Ever since Integra had legal release from her temporary two-month imprisonment, even her own agendas had seemed less packed of late.  
What in hell could end up making Alucard take his time? What could possibly make him stupid enough to make her wait when she could return to the manor to rest? With a sigh, Integra turned around to head for her car, but rotated back at the sight of a red-clad man walking up the path.  
She smiled lightly, and then it disappeared in an instant. "What took him so long?" She asked herself, placing the cigarette between her teeth. Since the last incident against the strange creature, Incognito, Integra had no patience with anyone or their alibis save for maybe Walter and the young police girl. Seras Victoria had helped Integra while Alucard had destroyed the foolish imposter of a monster. Sir Hellsing thought that it would be civilized to become more appreciative of Victoria's presence. She had suffered just as much as Integra, having to fight her fellow soldiers once they had transformed into ghouls before. The vampyric woman also had to live through the fact that she could no longer resume a human life since Alucard drank her blood. If anything, both she and the leader of Hellsing endured the same pain, minus the variation of species.  
However, Victoria didn't seem to notice the difference in Integra's attitude towards her. Her job became her main concern after the death of her commander, Peter Fargason. Hellsing Organization members that did not enjoy her attendance had now begun to get used to her, and they even invited her to some training simulations to give them advice and show them what to do in certain under-attack circumstances. Her reputation had begun to rise up in the levels, while her confidence did as well. Had she started drinking blood again? Hopefully, she did; Alucard sometimes regretted drinking Seras' blood because of that fact, but sometimes, the craving would get the best of Victoria. How or why any vampire drank blood had become a question that Integra never really wished to know.  
Now Alucard had returned from his side of the mission. Nothing seemed more satisfying to him than using his thirteen millimeter anti-freak pistol made especially by Walter. Nowadays, Integra would find Alucard fiddling with it; studying the bullets, tracing his gloved fingers over the writing on the casing, and aiming it in a random direction before chuckling to himself and putting it away. Not that Sir Integra minded at all, she simply found it amusing that he seemed to love a human's weapon so much. Nosferatu did not seem the type to marvel at the weapons of man, neither the sort to fiddle with it for no reason at all.  
But such things had no value to Integra, so she shook the thought away, and watched as Alucard approached.  
He had something in one arm, while his free hand carried his large hat. Her eyes narrowed slightly, staring at the thing in his arms. How often he managed to make his master angry astounded even her, and she had lost count of the times only a couple of years after they had first met. His usual grin had plastered itself to his face as he drew near Integra. Hair with a maroon hue to it stuck out from the bundle of blankets, giving the leader of Hellsing an obvious guess.  
"Damn it, not again, Alucard!" Integra growled, walking towards him, her teeth biting down hard on her cigar. "Are you trying to make your own pathetic little infantry of draculinas?" She frowned. "Or are you simply doing this to irritate me?"  
The nosferatu only smirked. "Would you rather she died?" He glanced down at the child on his arm, sleeping peacefully in the large blanket.  
Sir Hellsing grew quiet at that question. "..."  
Her servant sniggered. "I thought so."  
Integra looked at the small girl sleeping in his arm, one side of her face dripping with a horrible amount of blood. She couldn't help but grimace at the sight of her right eye, distorted and mangled with pieces of sharp items, even through the eyelid. Although the little girl had fallen asleep, her right eye looked slightly open from the wound. Even if they helped, she would still be blind, not to mention horribly scarred, in that eye. Nevertheless, the Hellsing organizations' doctors had become well- trained, if not perfectly, for such a problem. They could fix it to look presentable, or give her a decent eye patch.  
She sighed heavily and turned around. "Fine, then. However, this time, she better be more easily persuaded to do as she's ordered. I don't want another weak, starving vampire that refuses to drink blood!" She glared at him momentarily. "It cause far too much of a problem for us already!"  
"Of course, master," Alucard nodded as he watched Integra leave. His smile crossed his face again. "This may not be in order to annoy you, my master..." He laughed quietly. "However, it just makes it all the more fun..."  
"Master!"  
Alucard turned around and saw Seras Victoria running over to him. "Master!"  
"Good evening, Police Girl," He said. As his servant slowed down to a walk, she spotted the girl in his arm, relief washing over her as the dread she felt before disappeared.  
"The child's alive, Master?" Seras asked, staring up at her master as he smirked.  
"She's unconscious, that's all,"  
She looked at the child sleeping in Alucard's arm. "...um...Master...Is she going to be alright?" Her bright red eyes seemed taken aback at the horrible sight of her twisted right eye. "My God..."  
"She's permanently blind in her right eye, with only minimal damage to the back of her head, but otherwise, she's perfectly healthy." The nosferatu's eyes trailed down to the small girl's peaceful, sleeping form. Her mouth had opened slightly in her sleep, her left eye closed peacefully, even with the unbearable pain on one side of her head. Alucard took a glance at her dreams and thoughts, seeing something about some hero of darkness. "She simply requires medical attention."  
"Haa..." Seras sighed in deep relief. "That's good. So..." She glanced at the little girl again before looking up at her master, a shiver running up and down her spine at a second look of the wound. "Is she...is she being sent to an orphanage after a hospital's care?"  
"After everything she's seen and what she has become?" Alucard smirked. "No. She'll be coming with us."  
"What she's beco—?" Victoria stared at him in surprise. "But...she's just a little child! She looks barely out of her toddler ages!" Her eyes widened in realization. "Y-you—ah—Master, you didn't!"  
"...She chose the same thing you did, Police Girl." The nosferatu grinned. "If you want to know why...ask her when she wakes up."  
"B-but...Master...you transformed a little girl?" She questioned, feeling a great amount of pity for what the child had coming to her in the near future.  
"Police girl," Alucard said strictly. He stared at Seras silently through his bright sunglasses. His servant blinked at his gaze, then bowed her head.  
"Uh..." Seras sighed lightly. "Yes, master." The former police girl accepted his earlier suggestion; she would ask the child later, when she was awake.  
He smiled then slowly turned to disappear into the darkness of the night.  
The police girl watched him as he walked away, and then quickly turned the other direction to join her fellow soldiers.  
Celia's dreams seemed filled with blood. The red liquid spilt everywhere her dreams dragged her to. Everything she saw seemed covered in blood and things that she did not wish to see. If only...if only someone would stop the blood from spilling...if only someone would make it all go away...make it leave her alone.  
If anyone would willingly rescue a small five-year-old from nightmares and the most horrible event of her life...she hoped they would save her soon.  
The nightmare reliving her worst fears had suddenly spilt in two, and a low voice seemed to reply to her crying.  
"You'll be 'rescued' soon enough, Celia Pares,"  
Calmness overtook her, and she finally lolled into a deep sleep, dreaming of nothing but the darkness that seemed to free her.  
After that, she only heard a simple chuckle as if it had heard her thoughts.

Review! Review! Recommend it to others!! Peeeease!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Yaye!!! People like my story!!! I'm so happy! ...I hope none of the people seem out of character at all...I'm trying to make it as real-Hellsing-episodey/manga volume#something as possible!!! If I need to change something, please let me know! I want this to be something that everyone'll like! Much appreciated to everyone who's reviewed and commented and stuff, and please continue to do so! It helps soooo much! By the way, and I'm really serious about this, if ANYONE thinks that I did something wrong, PLEEEEASE tell mee!!! It'd help a lot, 'cause I want this to be incredibly accurate ((for a story that's in between the manga and show...ehehehe...))

Disclaimer: .....oh come on people, it ain't mine...poo it...but you WILL see my name someday! Be it on books or in movies or shows! Hellsing is owned by Kohta Hirano and the people that made the show thanks to Hirano-san's genius!

Again...Thanks sooooooooooooooo much for reading!!! It brings macabre thoughts to my freezing ice cold dying black-holed heart...

**CHAPTER 3:**  
  
Celia Pares woke up with a loud gasp, sitting up straight from her warm, comfortable sleeping position. She sat on a huge bed with large blankets covering her body, the pillow behind her far too big to even resemble her real bed.  
Could this end up as another dream? The child winced and reached the back of her head with her small hand in pain, feeling a large bruise...  
Her eyes widened in surprise. A bump...did she bump her head in her sleep? Gripping the blankets that lied on top of her tightly, she suddenly remembered the wounded eye from the 'dream.'  
She knew for a fact that _that_ wound had actually happened. The stinging pain had thundered through her head when she had sat up so abruptly.  
Did she hurt herself in her sleep? Did she hit her head on the board and somehow manage to violently stab her eye with something?  
That...or, had what had seemed a dream really become a reality?  
She glanced around the room, not recognizing anything within it. The child sat upon a huge bed, with four posters and what seemed like a roof far above her. A wooden table sat nearby, as well as a chair or two to match it. Celia saw no windows around the dark chamber. She only spotted one door, located on the far side of the room.  
Her right eye throbbed horribly, and she pulled up her hand to cover it in pain, but something already took that job. A patch covered her eye, bandage or not, she could not tell, but it did not soothe the pain at all, simply hid it away. The gigantic sweater she wore slid down, uncovering her arm, which had some bandages around it.  
"Ah...You're awake. Thank goodness." Someone spoke with a relieved sigh.  
Celia turned her head quickly towards the door and saw a man standing in the doorway, looking at her with warm, friendly eyes, his hands held together behind his back. He looked like he would have reached possibly well over his fifties or so, but Celia didn't know; she couldn't count all that well, except up to the very age the man looked.  
"How are you feeling, child? My name is Walter." He bowed from his waist, and Celia blinked at him in confusion.  
"Um...I-I'm Celia Pares..." She mumbled, still curious as to where she had woken up. In reply to his respectful bow, she nodded her head, feeling rather lost.  
"I serve Sir Integra, whom you'll be meeting soon, as her butler and guardian." He stepped into the room and pressed his gloved hand against her small forehead. "I've been caring for you these past two days, and Miss Victoria has been so kind as to allow you to stay in her chamber to recuperate."  
"Re-recuperate?" _What did_ that _mean_? She wondered.  
Celia watched as Walter moved over to the table, picking up a wet, cold washcloth from an ice container. "You have a slight fever at the moment. I'm certain that you're simply hungry, but I don't believe that we should take any risks," He turned towards her as he folded the washcloth. "Don't you agree?"  
"Oh...?" She blinked and reached up, feeling her own forehead. "I-I don't know..."  
"It's all right," Walter chuckled, pressing the washcloth against her head. "You're safe now. There's no need to be afraid of anyone here, Miss Pares. Master Alucard has been watching over you as well."  
"M-master?" She mumbled. What did he mean by 'Master?' Her head felt soothed by the cloth's coolness as the thumping in her mind lessened. "Mas- master Alucard...where is he?"  
"Oh, he probably further down in the basement, resting." Walter and turned his back to Celia, preparing something on the table. "Even a powerful no-life-king, such as him, needs to rest during the daytime."  
"Does...does that mean I'll have to rest too?"  
"Most likely, unless you cover yourself in plenty of clothing to cover your skin." The butler looked at Celia and handed her a juice box with a clear straw. "Drink this, my dear. You'll feel much better once you've had something to eat and drink."  
The child gratefully took the box and sucked the liquid up from the straw. The clear plastic then turned to a dark red for a while as Celia continued to drink until she created loud noises through the straw. She had practically inhaled the red liquid. At some point during her long sips, she developed the question in her mind of why it tasted so familiar.  
Walter seemed incredibly surprised at her action, but smiled as Celia held it up to him with a sweet, childish smile. "Thank you...Mr. Walter." She said, almost forgetting about her wounds. Her injury then throbbed in reminder as she grew more awake and aware, and she winced lightly in pain, covering the bandaged eye with her hand.  
"Ah...of course, your wound is still healing." The Angel of Death pulled her hand gently away from her face and lifted the bandage patch. "It's fortunate that you managed to sleep through the process."  
"Huh?" Celia looked up at him in confusion.  
"Our doctors closed up your wound, but I'm afraid that you're permanently blind in your right eye."  
"...oh..." She whispered. The child flinched as he began to unwrap the eye patch from her face; and some of the bandages peeled off of her skin like a Band-Aid.  
"It looks far better than it did earlier, though."  
She blinked again. Walter looked at her blinded eye, glazed over, still holding the original teal color of her eyes, while her left had turned into the Hell's fire red, proving her vampyric ethnicity.  
"Before the surgical procedure, your eye looked as if someone had stabbed a large piece of splintered wood through it."  
Celia's eyes widened in shock and nausea and she clapped her hand over her glazed eye at the thought. "R-really?"  
"Yes, but now you simply have scars, thank goodness." He took some fresh bandages from the table, holding a large amount of gauze in his hands as well, and he walked up to her. "Now hold still."  
He wrapped the white material around her right eye. "We'll replace your bandages a few times everyday, until you're prepared to do it on your own, understand?"  
She nodded lightly. "Yes, sir..."  
"Oh, don't call me sir, Miss Pares, just Walter would be fine."  
"Um—but..." She looked up at the butler, clenching her small fists to keep a tight hold on her determination. "My mum always told me to be polite to everyone older than me..."  
Walter sighed lightly. "Well, if you wish to honor your mother doing so, then I suppose it's all right."  
The child smiled triumphantly. He wondered how she could do such a thing after such a tragic loss.  
"Now we need to get your ready for your meeting with Sir Integra."  
Celia nodded again, but paused. "Uh—I-is...Sir Integra nice?"  
"Well, she doesn't appear to be so, but she _is_ a very compassionate woman. I'm sure she'll understand your plight and pain, and give you patience. Alucard, himself, asked her to meet you in person, rather than through military orders and means as she did with Miss Victoria."  
"O-okay..." She mumbled. A woman whom everyone addressed as Sir? Integra sounded like an incredibly strict, unmerciful woman.  
"Don't worry, Alucard will be there. He wants Sir Hellsing to allow you to stay. He knows very well that you have no where else to go." Walter rested his hands into his pockets. "Unless you'd rather stay at an orphanage..."  
"But...but Sir Integra sounds—um—seems..." Celia's voice faded in her fear.  
"She's a good leader. I'm certain that she will give you the respect you deserve; you _did_ survive the peril of three vampires, Miss Pares."  
"She hates vampires, though...doesn't she?" Celia looked up at Walter.  
"Most of them. However, if anything, she'll certainly tolerate you in the least; she makes an exception to Master Alucard and Miss Seras Victoria, so I'm sure that you won't be any problem."  
"...Okay," Celia smiled lightly, comforted by that thought. If Sir Integra accepted Master Alucard, apparently a true vampire, then it only made sense to have the ability to stand a five-year old vampire child...right?  
"Here, dress into this." The butler handed her a pile of red and black clothing. "When you're dressed, I'll return and show you the proper way to act before you meet Sir Hellsing."  
"Oh—um...y-yes, sir!" She said quickly, unfolding the dark clothes. Walter smiled and turned to the door, leaving the room and closing the exit gently.  
The girl tugged her large, bloodied up shirt off and quickly replaced it with her new clothes. It looked like the clothes of a soldier, only red and black. She blinked as she brushed a few wrinkles out of the outfit like her mother did before the incident. She shrugged the thought away and turned her head to try and see the back of her outfit. "..." She sighed and stared down at the floor. "Maybe...um—was this supposed to happen...?" Her eyes watered and she quickly covered her eyes with her arm and shook the thought away. "I—I can't think about them anymore..."  
"That's right. You can't, you shouldn't, and you won't."  
Celia looked up and around in surprise, recognizing the voice. "Uh—M- master Al-Alucard?"  
"You are now a vampire; a being that must walk in the darkness of night and sleep in the light of day. Your only family is those whom you have transformed into vampires, and those who transformed you. The 'family' you lost a few days ago no longer exists."  
"Ah—um..." She paused, still wondering where he had hidden. "S- so...you—you're sort of my...my dad?"  
Alucard chuckled at the question. "It isn't that sort of family. We are only blood related because I drank your blood. To become a true vampire, a true no-life-king, and a true family member, you would have to do something that even Police Girl refuses to do."  
"...W-what is it?" Celia smoothed out the clothes she wore again. "What would I have to do to be in a family a...again?"  
She heard no reply. The child turned around in circles, searching for the nosferatu that spoke to her. "M-master...Alucard?"  
"Miss Pares, are you all right?" Someone asked from the door.  
"Oh—yeah...um—come in," She mumbled, reaching out for the boots nearby. As she plopped herself onto the floor, the door opened with a creak.  
Walter stepped in, carrying some belts and a soldier's hat.  
"Oh, you look perfect. I wasn't sure if it would fit, so I brought some accessories for you."  
The girl looked at the belts for a minute curiously then looked back up at the Angel of Death. He nodded and she smiled lightly, and picked out a silver one, wrapping it around her waist, fitting it through the loops in her dark pants.  
"You'll need this." The butler held out a silvery-gray colored bowtie, larger than Celia's hands.  
"Um—Th-thank you!" She took the tie and studied it curiously. What would she use it for?  
"Here, allow me to help," Walter grabbed the bow from her hands and wrapped part of it around her neck, below the collar of the clothes, then tied it like a bow, the large tie pieces hanging below it in front of her chest all the way to her stomach.  
"There. Now it's time for the finale." He rested the black and red hat on her head. It had silver belts, straps, and buttons decorating it.  
She smiled happily, and then blinked as the hat sank over her eyes before she released a small giggle. "I like it! Thank you, Mr. Walter!"  
"You're quite welcome, Miss Pares." He returned her smile with his own and knelt down next to her.  
"Now then...do you know the proper etiquette of a Hellsing Organizational soldier?"  
"Um—," Celia shook her head and held up her small fists to show her determination again, the sleeves of the outfit fell over her hands and wrinkled at her grip. "Not that I don't want to! My brothers had signed up for the navy...! They showed me how to march and carry a big weapon...but-but I couldn't lift it to try...and they always made fun of me when I tried to copy them when they marched..."  
"Then we'll just have to teach you the right way." He rested his large hand against her back. "Stand up straight, now. Keep your chin up as well, always look straight ahead."  
She nodded and obediently did as he told her.  
"Don't tense up; just stand straight, with your shoulders relaxed and knees slightly bent so you don't lock your legs."  
Celia did so excellently.  
"Excellent! You're almost ready to meet Sir Hellsing."  
Celia smiled and raised her arms just above her head adorably in a small celebration, and her hat fell over her blind, bandaged eye. She made a small squeak and lifted it up from her eyes.  
"Next, did your mother and father teach you manners?"  
He received a positive nod. "Yes, sir!"  
"All right, then we'll skip to the final lesson." He straightened his hand and brought it up to the front of his temple. "A salute."  
She watched and blinked.  
"When receiving orders, or addressing any officer, you salute to them."  
The child looked at him in wonder, and straightened her own small hand, and rested it against her temple. "Like this?"  
"Yes, very good," Walter then stood up and opened the door. "After you meet Sir Hellsing, Alucard wishes to speak with you. Also, I'll have to help you memorize the Organization's oath, and give you the Hellsing Code- of-Arms."  
Celia nodded quickly and followed after Walter before suddenly running into a stranger's leg.  
She fell back with a small grunt and looked up, seeing a young woman with striking orange hair looking down at her. "Oh! Hello there," The woman said, kneeling down. "My name is Seras Victoria." The woman smiled warmly.  
"...um," Celia stepped back and hid behind Walter's leg, gripping his black pants.  
"Oh..." Victoria watched her in confusion. "What's wrong? It's all right...I'm a vampire, too!"  
"..." Celia stared at the floor, embarrassed for running into her.  
"Don't worry, Miss Victoria. She's simply shy. She isn't one to warm up to very many."  
Seras sighed. "I suppose..."  
"Come along now, Miss Pares. We wouldn't want Sir Integra to get impatient."  
The child nodded and ran after the butler as he headed upstairs. She glanced back at Victoria before quickly hastening her steps after Walter.  
Seras Victoria sighed again and watched them leave before walking into her chamber. "I'll just try again later...This place must have frightened her when she woke up." The Police Girl pouted lightly. "But I wish she could've thanked me or something for allowing her to stay in my room..."  
She glanced around the chamber then slowly closed the door. Blinking, she spotted a juice box on the table. "What the—?"  
The vampire approached the table and picked up the small juice box, the straw falling out of it, red liquid dripping from the end.  
"No..." She sniffed the drink, and her eyes widened. "That little girl...is-is she drinking blood already?"  
Victoria heard the echoing trademark of her master's chuckle before it slowly faded away like a second thought.  
"Master..." Victoria whispered, turning her head towards the door. "Why?"


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Yaye! Fourth chapter! I'm bouncing off the walls!! ...not really...eheheh...I'm happy, though! Thanks for those who've read and reviewed, and I hope more do so in the future! Hehee...Thanks so much ((...I've said that too much...))

Anyway, here's the fourth chapter, and no...sadly, I DON'T own Hellsing...but I honestly wish I did, and I'll own one someday!! :D Please read and review!!!

**CHAPTER 4:**

"It's been discovered that this Celia Pares is actually an adopted orphan." Integra said, resting a small collection of papers down on her desk. "Her real parents had been murdered just after she had been able to open her eyes."  
  
Alucard listened silently, his legs crossed as he sat on a large chair drinking his third bag of donated blood, type A.  
  
"The family who took her in had actually lost their former daughter to the same murderer, so they originally took Celia in to, in a way; replace the life of their former child." Sir Hellsing then moved the page to look at the next. "...After a short while, this family had begun to create a small record of child abuse against them, although many of them had been excused by authority; for reasons currently confidential at this time. Celia Pares was the victim to such ill-treatment; twice she had to be sent to a hospital, and she had to pay a visit to a psychologist afterwards to receive mental help to check for any mind-related trauma."  
  
The nosferatu grinned, prepared to say something, but he remained silent.  
  
"The child didn't realize that her foster family had some connections with dangerous criminals, who, according to one former survivor, had been acting much more of a hazard and more barbaric than usually heard of." Alucard glanced over at Integra as she paused to take out a box of cigars.  
  
"They sucked blood, and would write blasphemous messages on the ceiling and walls, similar to our former 'Bonnie and Clyde' crisis. Either that or they would mutilate the bodies and hang them on the walls or stow them in the smallest compartment they could find." The stiff woman removed one of the expensive cigars from the box and pulled out her lighter.  
  
Integra sighed lightly, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Of course, her supposed family didn't know of this problem either. The father knew the three men fairly well, however; two were his fellow employers, while the one remaining was a brother." Sir Hellsing turned towards Alucard. "These three vampires had become so bloodthirsty that they could not recognize anyone, be it a family member or fellow worker and his family."  
  
"It sounds like these maggot vampires are spreading just like the artificial ones." The nosferatu said calmly, halfway through the medical bag of blood. "They are becoming less and less conscious of their own pathetic actions."  
  
"I agree, but they've become much easier to manage than our FREAK vampires." Integra paused again to gather the papers, and then lit her cigar. "Now, about this...Celia Pares, Alucard,"  
  
"Yes, my master?"  
  
"I expect this child to be well trained. Unlike Seras Victoria, she's at an age where she depends on an adult to care for her and tell her what to do. If I hear that she refuses to drink blood or sleep within the confines of a coffin, I will not be happy; especially if these actions cause problems for my soldiers. Is that understood, Alucard?"  
  
"Clearly, master," The nosferatu bowed his head and continued to drink the donated blood.  
  
"Alucard." Integra frowned as he only grinned with a chuckle. "I do not approve of your disobedient actions at all. I don't want another reason for the Round Table members to call me a hypocrite!" She slammed the palm of her hand against the papers on the desk with a loud thud, which resonated through the room.  
  
"Master, this child is only past her toddler years...She cannot do any harm in her current state; half-blind and exhausted." The nosferatu laughed. "I realize that you disapprove of my actions, my dear Sir Integra...but she would not have anywhere to go if I had not saved her." He glanced at his master out of the corner of his eyes. "A five-year-old can't exactly do anything to experienced vampire hunters, now, can she?"  
  
"Do _not _complicate matters, slave! You could have easily brought her back alive, and we could have easily given her a room within a hospital; then easily send her to an orphanage! Because of _your_ choice, she has no life behind her now. She cannot turn to a family or learn the true life of a human because _you_ gave her a persuasive choice to join you!" The leader of the Hellsing organization pointed vigorously at Alucard. "This child no longer has the choice of experiencing the human world she was born to live in! It's because of _your_ offer that she became a vampire!"  
  
"I offered it, and she accepted, my master." Alucard said calmly, staring at Integra with blazing, fiery eyes. "The child you speak of had the choice of being alone or accompanying me. She chose to join me, because she fears loneliness and abandonment. If you are to blame anyone...then blame yourself, my master, for not expecting it!"  
  
His lord growled quietly then placed the cigar in her mouth. "I will not allow any vampyric faults to belong to me. I am responsible for my army, not you or your toys. _You_, Alucard, are in full responsibility for those two toys of yours. Your newest one, I expect, will not give this organization _any_ trouble at all, is that understood?!"  
  
"Yes...perfectly, my master." The no-life-king gave her a snide grin before turning his attention to the door as someone knocked on the other side.  
  
"Excuse me, Sir Integra; Miss Celia Pares is here to meet you."  
  
"Of course. Send her in," The leader ordered, standing up slowly from her seat. Her vampyric servant simply sat lazily in a large chair against one of the walls, looking over at the door.  
  
Walter opened the door a bit, and a five-year-old child squeezed through the small space, straightening up and looking up at Sir Integra with her left, visible red eye. The leader and master of the Hellsing Organization watched her silently as the child bowed her head. She then stood up straight and saluted, a bit too hard against her own forehead, but she remained still and straight. Integra raised an eyebrow when she heard the small thump as the child's hand collided with her head in the respectful movement, as well as an audible "ah" as she nearly made herself fall over.  
  
Sir Hellsing watched the child pause to glance around the large room. It only had a cabinet under a large portrait, while the desk that Integra stood behind only had a large chair as a companion. She also spotted a chair in the shadowed area of the room with someone sitting upon it that she could barely recognize as Alucard.  
  
Celia turned back and looked up at Integra as the woman approached her. "I am Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing. I am the president of the Hellsing Organization, and master of the nosferatu Alucard," She gestured to Alucard with her head. "My subordinate has been so bold as to give you un-life. From now on, you will follow the orders of me, Alucard, Walter, and any commanding officer within our organization, as well as Seras Victoria."  
  
If Celia understood any of it, the screwed up look on her face didn't help.  
  
"Do you understand, Celia Pares?"  
  
The girl smiled a small, nervous grin and nodded.  
  
"She's only five, Integra. She doesn't understand military protocol." Alucard chuckled then glanced over at the child. "From now on, you must listen to my master," He nodded towards her, "Walter, the Police Girl, and all the other soldiers here. Listen to us as if we were your family." Integra growled under her breath at that statement, glaring over at her slave; and Alucard chuckled softly at her reaction.  
  
"Oh—um...o-ok—I mean! Yes sir!" She nodded vigorously and saluted, though still rather confused.  
  
Integra frowned. "This is ridiculous." She turned to her vampire servant. "I shouldn't have allowed you to bring her here. We could have sent her to an orphanage or a children's hospital to help her, but _you_ decided to change her small life."  
  
"I'm flattered, Miss Hellsing." Alucard grinned wildly. "But just as both you and the Police Girl made a choice...she made a choice not to be left alone to die."  
  
Celia listened silently, feeling both ignored and rather humiliated at the fact that she still didn't jump to a good start with the leader of the organization. As they spoke to each other about her; she stared down at her boots, fiddling with her hands behind her back, her eyes shadowed from her bangs. After a while, she realized that Integra had called her name repeatedly. "Celia Pares!"  
  
"Um—uh—yes!" She looked up quickly at the powerful woman, feeling much, much smaller than she already felt.  
  
"From now on, you are a soldier of the Hellsing Organization. _Don't_ disappoint me."  
  
"Y-yes...S-sir Integra..." The child mumbled.  
  
"You have my permission to leave." Integra said, turning away to return to her seat at the desk. Celia thought that it appeared to end the conversation. She frowned lightly in resolve and made a note in her mind to remember this first meeting.  
  
Walter entered the large room immediately and gently tapped Celia's shoulder to get her attention. She quickly turned and followed after him again as he led her downstairs to the large foyer.  
  
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait here for a moment for Alucard. He's most likely speaking to Sir Integra about you."  
  
"O-okay...Oh! Um—thank you, Mr. Walter!" The child called, watching the butler leave.  
  
"I'll meet with you again soon. However, don't be afraid to call for me."  
  
"Um—...uh—okay!!" She nodded quickly, watching him leave.  
  
After a few moments, she glanced down at the floor, and then sat down on the steps with a tired, pained sigh.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: W00T! Yaye! People like my story! I'm soooo happy! Anyway, I typed this all up from my notebook 'cause I tend to write everything down...eheheh...o.o; sooo...Read&Enjoy, as well as Read&Review! It'll be much appreciated, and I hope I get lots more reviews, they really help to make this story all the more enjoyable to write! So, as I end my notes, and hope you enjoy this next chapter, I'll say what I always say at home:: Have Fun!

Disclaimer: ..........Oh come on people, you seriously think the CREATOR of Hellsing would make a fanfiction?? :D Although that WOULD be cool...Hirano-san would most likely just put a new idea into the show somehow!! ((or manga...whichever))

Enjoy! Have Fun! Sayonara until the next chapter!

**CHAPTER 5:**

While Celia waited, she fiddled with the ties on her boots. No one ever taught her how to tie them, so originally she had tried to teach herself. Sadly, it had ended up as a failed experiment, and she only managed to learn to tie horrible knots.

The ties on her new boots, however, seemed much more complicated than those of the shoes she had before. She could see metal latches and clasps along with the black lacing in need of tying. Hopefully she would find someone who would have the willingness to teach her properly. The only ones she could understand seemed to be buttons or zippers.

Then the child fumbled with the silvery-gray bow and adjusted her hat. It seemed that everything around her had begun to change. She didn't recognize anyone, nor see anything that belonged to her except for the new clothes she had received; but she didn't even know if _that_ belonged to her!

How could she live in a place full of military people? Would Alucard keep his promise and make sure she stayed nearby? She glanced around the large room she sat in. Would he discuss the promise with her? Did he have to break the promise in order to keep her safe or some other reason?

Whatever the outcome, Celia had decided that she would try to understand, no matter what.

After another few minutes, she decided to think about the meeting with Sir Integra. She crossed her arms tightly against her chest and huffed a little. Apparently she had invented her own thinking position as she closed her eyes to think about her introduction.

Sir Integra certainly didn't seem to like Celia at all, for whatever reason. The child had only lived for five years so far, why would she dislike her so much? Other than the fact that she had become a vampire, Celia couldn't think of anything else, so she pouted as she thought of it. If the leader of the Hellsing Organization understood the reasons _why_ she became a creature of darkness, maybe she wouldn't seem so disgusted by her appearance. Slowly, the small child covered her patched-up eye, sighing. Did Integra hate her because of her different colored eyes? Even Celia had the wits scared out of her when she heard a description of it.

However, Sir Integra just seemed impatient, as if she had wasted time speaking to someone so small. Could she simply hate children? On the contrary, though, Integra must have had an immature stage at one point in her life...maybe she just didn't enjoy seeing something that reminded her of that certain time?

Now Celia had started to confuse herself.

If Sir Integra really hated her, she would've beaten her like her family had done occasionally. Celia nodded vigorously in agreement to such a thought. Besides, Master Alucard wouldn't want her to get hurt, or end up kicked out of the mansion, or castle, or whatever.

Celia Pares decided that Alucard would make sure she stayed. Hopefully she could have, at the least, a neutral relationship with whoever lived in the area.

It seemed that an hour had passed. As she sat on the large stairs, Celia spotted something moving in the far side of the room in the shadows. It looked like it had four legs, with a black body, and something on its front side seemed to glow with a red hue. Her eyes opened and closed rapidly and she rubbed them energetically, disbelieving her own sense of one-eyed sight.

She stood up instantly, hearing the creature pant lightly, it's strange, long tongue sticking out. "A-a...a dog?" The girl whispered, adjusting her hat again quickly as she started to follow it. The black dog paused in its walking to glance at her with...eight red eyes. _Is that normal_? It seemed to wait for her, so Celia quickened her pace, running after the odd creature as it continued in its path.

"Uh—wait..." She followed it through an open door and down some stairs. It looked as though the dog had begun to lead her somewhere. "W-where are we going...?" She asked aloud, wishing the dog would whine or bark or, with her odd luck of finding peculiar phenomenon, speak to her as they ran through the dark underground area of the mansion. Celia Pares glanced up at the ceiling and walls, wondering where they had run.

Just as she returned to watching the strange hound, it suddenly sped up to an incredible dog speed and disappeared into the shadows.

"Ah—Wait!!" She whined, picking up her own pace, hoping to catch a glimpse of it to know that she didn't get lost. Her nose wrinkled up as she sniffed the stale air of the tunnel, smelling the dog, to her surprise. The girl decided to follow the scent, and she turned a corner quickly, just barely missing her horrible chance to run into the wall.

Her lungs burned for a chance to rest and her throat grew dry as she refused to stop running. She clutched her hat, which had fallen off numerous times earlier, tightly in one hand as she followed her nose. Every few corners she turned, she saw the dog again—or, at least, its glowing red eyes—and it would suddenly run through the shadows. To Celia's dismay, she didn't know where they had begun traveling through, and she felt ridiculously lost.

Occasionally she would try to communicate with the strange hound, asking it repeatedly where they had gone or if it would wait for her. Sometimes it would simply turn and stare at her intently, and other times it seemed to try to give her an answer and wait for her if she asked.

"Um—hey...wait, Mr. Dog! I don't know where we are! D-don't leave me behind!" Celia turned to a corner rapidly after the canine and scraped her shoulder against the dark wall before tripping to the hard floor with a loud thump and matching cry.

She whimpered and tightened her hands into fists to endure the pain in her shoulder and lungs, the fall having knocked the air out of her chest. "M-Mr...Mr. Dog...?" The girl whispered, lifting her head to look down the dark, underground corridor. Her eyes seemed to play a prank on her when she saw the hound sitting right in front of her. Her large eyes widened in surprise and she watched the creature casually scratch the back of its ear with a hind leg. Then it bared its bright white teeth towards her before grabbing the sleeve of Celia's uniform to lift her up. The child stood slowly, still staring at the dog in astonishment and confusion.

Why did it have so many eyes? Did all dogs have that many? Celia honestly didn't know; she had never seen a dog up close before, just from a very far distance. Its tongue seemed rather odd as well, forked at the end, almost like a snake's.

She glanced at her shoulder to see if she had started bleeding before suddenly realizing that the canine had begun to wander through the hallway again. "Ah—no! Wa-wait for me, um—please!" Celia exclaimed, running after the animal as fast as her little legs could go without making her slam into walls or grazing against corners. "Where are we going?"

Obviously, she heard no reply from the dog to her question, simply a whisper of its heavy panting.

"...Mr. Dog? Please, wait for me!"

It seemed that yet another hour or more had passed before Celia finally caught up with the dog. The dark creature stood in front of a door that had a large, strange symbol on it made with some red—now dried up—liquid, most likely blood, like the sacrificial circles that her brothers had told her horror stories about.

She blinked and looked down at the hound. It wagged its tail briskly, staring up at the doorknob as it continued to pant excitedly.

"Um...do you—do you want me to open it?" She asked, glancing up at the bloody symbol again.

The dog snarled lightly and bobbed its head as if it nodded in response.

"...O-okay..." Celia approached the large door and reached up to the handle, grabbing it firmly. She pulled it down and pushed the door open slowly, since it felt so heavy. The canine suddenly sprinted through the doorway into the dark room, and the door slammed closed, leaving Celia out in the cold corridor as if she had no right to enter.

"Hey--!" She yelled, falling backwards to the floor from the suddenly force of the door closing. "H-hey...where'd you go? Come back! I don't know how to get out of here!" During her fright, she stood back up and banged her small fists against the metal door. "Please let me in! I don't know where I am or how to get back!!"

As though responding to her voice, the door swung violently open as she continued to lean on it while slamming her hands against it.

With a loud cry, she fell into the room, landing at the bottom of a flight of steps chin-first. The girl moaned in pain, feeling her skin tear viciously from her chinbone. It produced a loud whimpering as she struggled to sit up from the dark, gritty-feeling floor to search for the dog. She opened her eyes and paused in her pain-induced groaning to see dark boots in front of her, surrounded by a blood red coat. Curiously, she lifted her head to see slightly familiar bright orange glasses staring down at her from what seemed like eight thousand yards above her. With tears forming at the edges of her eyes from the fall, and her head cocked to one side, she heard a chuckled produced from what must have looked like a comical sight. Her eyes widened in surprise and she struggled to stand up again, recognizing the laugh. "M-Master Alucard!!"

The nosferatu smirked as she finally jumped to her booted feet and wiped off her clothes. "...How did you find your way to this place?" Alucard knelt down next to the child and rested his hand on her head as he had done before. "Did you crawl through ventilation shafts like Sir Integra?" He chuckled softly.

"Huh? Uh—n-no..." Celia shook her head lightly, clutching her hat in her hands. "I—um...I followed someone here—or—or something...it got me lost...but led me here..."

"What did?" Someone, or something, leading her here must've sparked his interest.

"The doggy..." She mumbled. The girl glanced around the room, her chin dripping with blood from her fall. For some reason it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. "I—I followed it here...It seemed like it wanted to be in here really bad, b-but I don't...know why..."

"I see..." Alucard sniggered. "So...you followed a dog around, huh?"

"It—It came in here, I promise!" Celia pouted, feeling like she had suddenly arrived back home and had ended up in a Twenty Questions or I-Don't-Believe-You war with her brother Alexander. She flinched and tried to wipe the blood off of her chin, but her white gloves changed to a muddy red as she did so, staining them.

"It's alright, Celia. You don't need to give me an explanation."

She lifted her head. "Huh?"

"Around the Hellsing Organization's headquarters, what you choose to do outside of the missions or job is your own business unless you're interrogated." He sighed lightly and shrugged. "Since you aren't even a member of the army yet, I doubt you'll have to explain yourself to anyone."

"Oh...r-really?" The child smiled with relief. "Okay...b-but...I _did_ follow a dog here..."

"What did it look like?" Alucard stared at the girl for a long while as she seemed to regain her composure from the recent fall.

"Well—um—it-it had eight eyes...I don't know if it's supposed to—I've never seen a dog up close before...so-so I don't really know—but it waited for me sometimes! And-and when we got to that door," She turned to the entrance she had fallen from. "He waited for me to open it for him..." The little girl slowly pouted, her cheeks puffing up. "B-but then right when he walked inside...the door shut in front of me, so I couldn't go in-inside...but—then I-I _think_ you opened the door for me, but I fell down and now we—we're here..."

"..." The nosferatu laughed loudly and ruffled her maroon hair quickly before standing up straight. "Well then, I suppose we should find this hound you speak of." He grinned, enjoying his little game.

"Um—wait...b-but—didn't you need to talk to me about something?"

"Hmm? Oh, that's right." He laughed quietly and walked over to a large, cushioned chair, seating himself comfortably on the expensive wooden piece of furniture. He sighed quietly, knowing that his small game had ended when she had changed the subject. Alucard clasped his large gloved hands together and stared at Celia through his bright sunglasses. "...Celia Pares,"

"Y-yes, Master?" She mumbled, still not used to calling someone such a thing.

"It's time for you to know the abilities and rules that all true vampires must learn." The no-life-king paused as she blinked in confusion, but his smirk reappeared quickly. "Vampires are born to drink blood, to sleep during the day and walk in the hours of the night. We do not live by the rules of humans; we are basically monsters of Hell. You and I, as well as the Police Girl, serve Sir Integra as her servants, as loyal vampyric soldiers. We do not question her authority, but rather, we do as she bids us without hesitation."

Alucard gazed at the small child that had become his servant—his underling, or subordinate. She seemed like a silent, unquestioning and obedient child that would not ask questions unless what she had learned seemed like something she could not comprehend. "...Do you understand, Celia Pares?"

"Uh—um...y-yes...We're—we're vampires—monsters—a-and we have to follow S-Sir Integra..."

"Very good,"

"But...w-why are we monsters? Um—Master...I don't know why we have to be monsters,"

"It's because at some point in time, there will be no choice for you but to kills all beings, including humans. Only a man can truly hope to kill a monster, and only a monster can kill a man."

Celia stared at the floor. "I'm—um—I have to kill?"

"You might, yes. Then again, you may just end up simply staying within the Hellsing mansion." He motioned her forward and she obeyed quickly, standing in front of him, her small height only allowing her to see his sunglass-equipped face just above his knees. "If the time comes for you to pick up a weapon and destroy, _don't hesitate_. Maggot vampires such as the ones that destroyed your former family and ghouls are creatures that don't deserve to live in this world. FREAK vampires, however...they are an entirely different type of monster. They are created by humans who manufacture a strange, living chip. These FREAKS...also must be destroyed."

"Manu—Manufacture?" Celia repeated the large word. "What's that?"

"To produce or build." Alucard said simply.

"...Oh..." The small vampire stared up at her Master. "So—so...y-you kill...other vampires like us?"

"Since Sir Integra orders it, yes. I will search for and destroy every vampire that she commands me to fight against.

"Does that mean she'll make kill people, too?"

"If you wish to become a soldier for the Hellsing Organization, you'll have no choice but to annihilate everything you're ordered to crush."

"O-Okay." She sighed lightly and fiddled with the hat that she clutched between her fingers. "I—I'll do whatever you want...an-and whatever Si-Sir Integra wants, too..."

"Excellent. You won't be a disappointment to either of us, I'm sure of that. Sir Integra will be much happier with your process than she has been with the Police Girl's."

"You--," Celia looked up at him. "You think so, Master?"

Alucard nodded and grinned. "Much better than Seras Victoria; you've already had a meal of blood!"

"B-blood—Oh? I have?" Celia tried to remember. "...I only remember having some juice that Mr. Walter gave to me..."

"That? That was blood, Celia."

"Er--," She looked up at him in consternation. "But—I—it didn't taste like blood!"

"You mean you've tried blood before?"

Celia paused at that question. "Nguh...I--,"

"Have you been forced to drink human blood before you even became a vampire?" Alucard asked.

"I—we-well..., no...I haven't be-been forced...but—but my brothers pushed me into a bunch of rocks once by accident...and—and I fell and cut my arm...and I-I didn't know what else to do, because I didn't have any bandages...so—so I..."

"You drank your blood in order to nurse your wounds." Alucard finished her sentence. He smirked and lifted Celia up from under her arms. Turning her around, he rested her on his lap. "You are a vampire, Celia Pares. However, you are not yet a true vampire...a true member of my family."

She blinked, staring at the dark wall ahead of them, where some chains hung from the walls and dried up blood had seemed long forgotten.

"One day I will give you a choice to become part of my family, or to remain a servant unto me."

"I-If I become part of your family...w-what will I call you instead of Master?"

Alucard grinned and chuckled at such a question. "What would you _want_ to call me?"

"Um—er..." Her face turned a slight red as she tried to think of something. "..."

He watched her contemplate a large series of choices. She looked up at him curiously. I still call you Master?"

The nosferatu grinned again, his deep laugh echoing through the large stone chamber. "If that's what you want,"

"Okay..." She smiled happily then waited for a moment, resting one hand on her stomach. "Um...Master?"

"What is it?"

"I'm—I'm hungry..."

"You should be, you were wandering this underground labyrinth for over four hours, and you were running in circles."

"Nuh..." She smiled and giggled nervously. "Oh...but-but the dog led me here..."

"Then I'll lead you back above ground, alright?" The no-life-king stood up slowly from the fancy chair and walked up the stairs to the door, glancing back at Celia as she practically crawled up the stairs to follow him hurriedly.

The maze seemed much bigger than she had originally believed when she followed the dog. Alucard grabbed her gloved hand with his own so she wouldn't end up getting lost to wander the web of walls, left behind again.

As they walked, she suddenly remembered the scrape on her chin. "Oh—er...Master? My chin is still bleeding..." She flinched as the blood dripped from her injury. To her surprise, it still didn't hurt as badly as she had expected before.

"Walter will fix it for you. There's no need for you to worry about it now. Since you are now a creature of darkness, your wounds will heal faster than a normal humans' body."

"Oh, okay," She stopped asking questions afterwards, feeling comfortable within the presence of the nosferatu Alucard, her Master, her rescuer.

The vampire only grinned at the silence.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6:**

The silence didn't seem to last for too long, and neither did the dark, underground corridors. The master and his newest fledgling had arrived at the Hellsing Manor's large foyer, which Celia recognized immediately. She spotted Walter exiting the powerful Hellsing leader's office just then, carrying a tray with him.

"Ha...Mr. Walter!" The young vampire child giggled and waved one arm happily and frantically, her other hand still clutching a couple of Alucard's large, gloved fingers. Her hat, held within her waving hand, nearly fell out of her grip as she waved so enthusiastically.

"Good evening, Miss Pares," Walter bowed with a friendly smile, nodding to Alucard respectfully as well. "How are you tonight?"

"Um...I sort of tripped—Oh! But I found Master Alucard," She nodded up at him with a large smile, showing her recently grown fangs, "And he told me what I'll do here as a vampire...and—and I'm getting hungry..."

"Alright then, if you come with me, I'll give you something to eat, and we'll discuss the Hellsing Organization." The Angel of Death glanced up at the fiercely tall nosferatu as he nodded with his usual grin plastered on his face.

"I'll speak with you later, Celia."

"Okay!" Celia grasped his hand tightly for a moment longer, her small hands entwined around his fingers. "Bye, Master!" She smiled and trotted up to Walter, holding her hat with both hands. The butler knelt down next her as he studied her chin and shoulder—one which she had completely forgotten about.

"Oh dear...is this what happened when you tripped?"

"Um—my chin...yeah...but Master Alucard said that you can help!" She smiled up at him. "You can do a lot of stuff!"

"That's right, and I most certainly can help you. Come along, we'll patch that up right away while you get something to eat."

"M'kay!" Celia turned to say her farewell to her Master, but he had already disappeared from the room. "Aw..." She blinked and then looked up at Walter. "Where did—?"

"Oh, don't worry, Miss Pares...Alucard tends to appear and disappear when you least expect it." _Although it can be quite predictable at some points..._He thought to himself. Shaking his head, he ushered Celia along to the kitchen, and she clambered up onto a bar stool once they reached it.

"So, are you prepared to become a soldier of the Hellsing army?"

"Umm...well—s-sort of...If I have to,"

"I'll have to prepare a weapon for you, then. I believe that I have an ideal item that would fit you..."

"Huh?" She blinked, staring up at him. "W-weapon?"

"Well...enough about that." He didn't want to drop such a large amount of responsibility on her on her first day. Walter opened a large fridge and pulled out another box of "juice", handing it to her, as well as the straw. "Drink this. Hopefully we can replace your eye bandages soon once we close up your chin injury; the binds you wear are starting to overflow with blood."

Celia paused at taking the juice box, hesitating for a moment, remembering the nosferatu's words.

_"You've already had a meal of blood!"_

_"B-blood—Oh? I have? ...I only remember having some juice that Mr. Walter gave to me..."_

_"That? That was blood, Celia."_

She stared at the carton of juice.

"Miss Pares? Are you all right?" Walter looked down at the small girl with deep concern in his old eyes and voice.

"Um...I was wondering...Mr. Walter is—is this...is this blood?"

"Well..." He paused and studied her cheerless, intent stare for a moment. "I suppose it isn't a secret anymore, so...yes. Alucard requested that you did not know of it unless he decided to tell you himself."

"So—so it's okay, right?" Celia held the packet up. "I mean...if—if you're giving it to me...that's okay?"

"Sir Integra may dislike vampires, but she knows very well how to take care of them. We have plenty of donated blood sacks to fulfill your soon-to-come vampyric thirsts and needs, so there's no need to worry about such a problem, alright?"

"...Okay," She smiled lightly, relieved by his words, and started to drink the juice box of blood.

"..." Walter sighed in his amazement. "You are a remarkable child, Miss Pares." He exhaled through his nostrils. "Miss Victoria has been with us for a couple of years now, and she _still_ has yet to accept her new un-life and does not drink blood regularly...No...she doesn't drink it at all,"

"So—um...it's sort of like my brothers and sisters with vegetables..." She mumbled, sipping the red body fluid through the straw. "Maybe she doesn't like it? The blood, I mean..."

"That may be possible...but I also think that she may just wish to hold onto her humanity for a while longer yet."

"Yeah..." Celia nodded in agreement, although she barely understood what he had just said. She finished the rest of the blood in silence. Apparently Seras Victoria simply didn't want to rid her entire life of something she valued more than anything. Maybe she had something as a human that she still wants...or needs. The young girl sighed lightly, realizing her own choice. She had instantly given up on her own species, but then again, what was left in her humanity to live for anyway? Her family had died, she knew of no other relatives, and she hated the feeling of loneliness.

However, she didn't wish to burden anyone with endless questions or her own...less than understandable opinions; although she still carried thousands of subjects that had ended up left behind and unanswered. Maybe once she grew accustomed to the Hellsing rules, they would answer themselves.

Later that evening, after re-bandaging her eye, and taping a piece of gauze onto her chin, as well as her shoulder, Walter led Celia through memorizing the Hellsing phrase.

"In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation." Walter repeated it for the thirtieth time. "Come on, try again Miss Pares,"

"In the name of God..."

"Yes,"

"Un pure souls of the living dead..."

"Er--,"

"Shell be bay meshed into infernal damn in nation?" Celia paused and suddenly gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth. "I said a bad word!! Mr. Walter, I'm not allowed to say that!!"

"Eh—," Walter chuckled and patted her on the head. "It's alright, Miss Pares...no one here will pay it any mind." He sighed heavily. "I suppose we'll try the phrase again later. I don't want you to get tired out from it..."

"O—okay..." She giggled nervously. "Sorry, Mr. Walter..."

"It's quite alright, Miss Pares. Ah...here we are!" He turned towards a door and opened it slowly. They had wandered around the mansion for an hour reciting the slogan, while Walter led her to the underground corridors.

"This will be your own room, Miss Pares," He nudged her inside so she could take a look, and she stumbled in quickly, nearly tripping on her own feet at the push.

A large bed sat right next to the entrance, behind the door. It had four posters with a burgundy-wooded ceiling. She blinked in curiosity, seeing that it looked like it had the shape of a coffin. On the farthest wall, she saw a dark table with a bowl, a cup, an ice dispenser with ice already inside, and some other thing she couldn't quite make out yet, as well as two candlesticks. Along with that, she saw a matching pair of chairs pushed up the table. Within the icebox, she finally made out what looked like a plastic bag of red liquid, with a large lettering of "AB" on its front.

The only other large pieces of furniture she could see in the room seemed like a large clothes cabinet with a dresser next to it.

"Wow..." She gasped, amazed by the chamber. To her slight relief, it seemed that windows had no place in the room. She felt much more comfortable in the dark—even more so since her un-life. "It's better than my old room!"

"Really? Your family was quite wealthy...where was your former room?"

"Oh?—Uh...I had a room in the attic, but I slept in my sisters' rooms a lot since my brothers always scared me with scary stories—but I always had to sleep on the floor..."

"Well, then I suppose that these quarters will be much more suited to your tastes than the attic. We're finished with everything you need to know for today. You're welcome to explore the manor as long as you stay out of trouble. If you need me again, simply call for me, and I'll answer as soon as I possibly can."

"Okay!" Celia smiled brightly, balancing on the balls of her feet. "Thank you very much, Mr. Walter!"

"You're quite welcome, Miss Pares," He bowed from his waist and disappeared down the hallway, leaving the door open since she couldn't even reach it.

Celia watched him leave, and looked around the chamber before running up to the back of the room and scrambling onto one of the chairs, standing on it. Then she reached over to the ice box, pulling it over to grab the packet of blood, wondering what it meant by the large "AB" lettering on the plastic.

Maybe she could find Alucard and ask him, since Walter had helped enough for the day—or night—or whatever time it had become, she couldn't tell; she had no window, nor a clock to tell her the time (not that she could read it).

Thus, after keeping a firm grip on the blood bag, Celia jumped down from the chair and left the room to find Alucard, or, possibly, someone else who would acknowledge her vampyric toddler presence.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Yaye!! I'm dancing with joy...I have fans!!! W00T! Anyway, I want to thank everyone for the support, and hopefully I can make this a nice long fanfiction! Also, I think I came up with a nickname for Celia for Alucard to call her, so don't worry...and PLEASE tell me if I need to change something, and I'll see what I can do! Thank you again, and enjoy this next chapter, although they've been getting shorter for some reason...O.O hehe...sorry!!

Disclaimer: ...I DON'T own Hellsing!!! Q.Q happy? ...Although I'm planning to join forces with my cousin to create one in later life...Yaye!! Look out people!!

**CHAPTER 7:**

The tiny fledgling pouted which seemed a usual face she held if she felt confused. Her cheeks would puff up as she did so, looking around, completely lost—again. After wandering around for another hour, she had finally figured out how to open the small tube sticking out of the donated medical blood bag. Now, as she walked, she would occasionally take a long sip of the red body fluid.

Half of its contents had already made a trip from the bag, to her mouth, and down her throat before she found some large stone stairs leading out of the huge underground tunnels. Celia blinked up at the large flight of steps, then climbed up while clutching the bag in between her teeth, her small hands slapping against the cold floor. As she reached the top and poked her head out to see if anything would attack her, she heard a door open somewhere and she squeaked as she ducked back behind the wall covering the stairs. Footsteps echoed loudly in the familiar foyer, and she slowly, cautiously peeked out again. The miniature monster then spotted Sir Integra stepping down the large set of stairs leading to and from her office.

Celia quickly remembered her newly-learned Hellsing etiquette and scurried out of her hiding spot to look up at the leader of Hellsing. She bowed from her small waist.

"Sir Integra!!"

The powerful woman glanced down at the small creature just as she stood up straight from a bow. The child saluted to her, then created a feeble wave as Integra simply gave her a cold, ice stare. "..." She waved a little harder, wondering why she wouldn't respond.

Celia winced at the stare as it reached her spine, forcing shivers down the cord. It felt as if the look would blind her only good eye, or turn her to stone.

"...Hmph." The leader huffed and continued to walk down the steps, turning towards a door on the opposite side of Celia's standing spot.

"Oh—um...mi—ahh!" The fledgling shook her head quickly to clear her mind and ran after her. "Excuse me...S-Sir Integra...but I have a question..."

It appeared that Integra didn't have any patience, for she frowned angrily as Celia approached. "What is it, vampire?"

"Er--," Celia paused, hesitant to show her for fear that she would knock it away. However, she held up the bag in front of her, the red blood splashing around inside the plastic. "Um—why...why does the bag say 'AB' on it?"

Integra frowned in complete disgust. "That's the blood type." She explained simply. "Now if you would excuse me...I'm very busy." She turned away and left through her designated door, closing it quickly behind her so the child could not follow.

The tiny fledgling stared at the door for a few minutes with miserable eyes—one blind, one perfectly healthy—before wiping her face with the sleeve on her arm to rid herself of tears. She turned around quickly and ran through the only open door she could see. (She can't open doors, she's too small! :D All of the doors are designed for adults...)

As she ran down a red-carpeted corridor, she slowed down to a lingering walk, turning her head towards another open door as she heard obnoxious laughter. Blinking, tears still at the edges of her eyes, she followed the raucous noise in curiosity, poking her head into open doors, pressing her ear against closed ones.

The child heard conversations of battles and weapons, and contests of strength, as well as something called "gambling". She blinked again as she saw some men playing with small pieces of what looked like white cardboard with numbers or letters, and shapes on them. Other adults threw dice and cheered or cursed at it, while some soldiers sat at couches and drank some sort of beverage in a can. She could only recognize board games of chess and checkers.

Celia pouted once again, feeling rather lonely as she listened to some men talk of family and friends, as well as some missions they had gone through together. Even though she knew perfectly well that she could call for Mr. Walter or Master Alucard—or even look for them (if that seemed possibly...they BOTH pop up so randomly from out of nowhere...)—she felt that she would simply end up bothering them.

Integra certainly didn't want to have anything to do with her, and Seras Victoria had probably shut herself in her room or gone to bed or something.

If anything, Celia had suddenly begun to feel much lonelier than she already felt.

How could she end up alone if hundreds of people lived within the Hellsing manor?

Simple: she never enjoyed speaking to anyone, and had never become very social as a human child.

Now she had become a lonely, shy fledgling, servant to the nosferatu Alucard.

Celia sighed lightly, trudging down the soldier's hallway as if going to her death, sipping on the rest of the medical bag's blood without realizing it.

The vampyric child had started to stare at the floor as she walked through the long corridors again (which started to get amazingly old in her opinion). However, just as she decided to look up to see her path, she ran into a green-panted leg, stumbling on the leg's booted foot before falling backwards onto the floor with a high-pitched yelp.

"Sorry, kid," Someone mumble through a cigarette. "I didn't see you zere," He looked down at the small girl and his eyes nearly bugged out of his sockets. "What ze--? Hey girl, what're you doing down 'ere? Zis is for soldiers of ze 'ellsing organization only."

Celia blinked up at him curiously, noticing that he, too, wore a patch on his eye, as she lifted herself up onto her hands, leaning back on them. "Uh—"

"Captain!" Someone called out.

The soldier knelt down next to the child and poked her forehead, his eyes disbelieving and his lips pursed in through as if he wondered if she really sat there in front of him. "Are you lost, little girl?"

"_Captain_!" The distant voice yelled.

"Um—s-sorry...I didn't mean to—!"

"CAPTAIN!"

"What?!!" He whirled around and nearly fell over at the sight of the vampyric, red-headed Police Girl, standing a few feet away with her arms crossed over her chest.

"_Captain_ Bernadette...Just _what_ exactly do you think you're doing bringing a five-year-old child to your drinking parties?!"

"What ze bloody 'ell are you talking about, Police Girl?! I just found zis little child 'ere!"

Seras Victoria frowned in incredulity and walked up to them, lifting Celia up into her arms. "She can't come down here! You blokes will try to get her to drink alcohol or smoke or some other hazardous thing!"

"Zat is ridiculous!" Pip seemed fairly taken back by her statement, "I would never have a such a small child corrupted by drinks!"

"Hmph!" Seras rested a fist on her hip, holding the child in one arm. "Sure, Captain..." She turned away and started to walk down the corridor, back to the entrance of the mansion.

"So...who _is_ zat little girl?"

The red-head stopped and glanced down at Celia with a secret wink and turned towards Pip with a snide grin, almost as impish as her master's own trademark. "This...is Celia Pares, the newest fledgling vampire in the Hellsing Organization!"

Celia blinked in confusion then giggled with a blushing grin, making her fangs shine in the dark.

Bernadette's eyes widened with shock, and the cigarette in his mouth fell to the floor. "_What_?!" He pointed vigorously at the little girl. "_That's_ the toddler that the vampire had rescued a few days ago?!"

"Yes, it is, and Sir Integra, Master Alucard and I believe that it is in your best interest not to mess with her!"

An expression of dumbfounded amazement stretched across the Britannica Cowboy's face.

Seras snickered and then turned to leave. A flustered Pip Bernadette sighed heavily in resignation before walking into the soldiers' quarters to join his comrades.


	8. Chapter 8

I'M SORRY!!! This took sooo freakin long to type…dang school…and quite a bit of uninspiration…Grrr…

A/N: Okay, I really want to thank a few of people here first before we continue with the chapter…

Akuma-sama, thank you sooo much for your suggestions of scenes and the warning of a bit of out-of-character-ness for Seras earlier before! Those scene choices have been giving me a lot of ideas and inspiration! And yes…when she wields a (…most likely small…) weapon for the first time, expect a large commotion and tears—she won't be enjoying it at all. When she realizes that she'll never grow up—er….hasn't gotten that far ehehe…Thanks for your reading and reviews!

SSG Michael B Jackson, yes…there is a bit more I have to think about between Integra and Celia, but honestly I'm trying to make it not-so-obvious-yet-crude-seeming that Integra simply really does not wish for Celia live/work within the Hellsing Organization…she didn't approve of Alucard's offer to her, and doesn't approve of Celia being in a place where she's in danger. Integra's just bad at showing it! Since…she has…no maternal skills (but I'm not sure about instincts, maybe I'll experiment with that…hehe…) Seras, yeah, I'm sure she'll stick to Celia's side, but she'll have a long streak of jealousy at various points later on. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'll intend to have Celia carry any type of weapon, 'cause most of the time, if no one will watch her at the manor, she'll simply follow her Master Alucard around during a mission, but she might have to carry _something_ on her for extreme emergencies (…like if they meet up with Anderson and he happens to decapitate Alucard again!! Ehehehe…) Seras and Walter will definitely have to start an argument with Alucard about her joining the army, since Integra certainly won't back away from whatever decision I have her make for Celia's job! But, wow!! That's amazing, and I'm honored that you're reading my fan fiction, thank you so much for your open and honest opinions!!

SG, yes!! Yaye!!! I captured Walter!!! :3 ehehehe…thanks!

LadyAkki45, yes! I'm actually planning something like that…ehehe giggles evilly Thank you for reading!!!

Next; for those of you who don't seem to have any problems whatsoever with my fan fiction, thank you soooo much for reading, and reading&reviewing. It's supportive and very much appreciated! Please review more!! It's so helpful!!! googly/hypnotizing eyes You WIIIIIILLLLLL REVIIEWWWW!!!! MWUAHAHAHA!

ahem ahem ahem

Now…ON WITH THE FAN FICTION!!!

--End of A/N--

**CHAPTER 8:**

The walk to Seras' room had seemed immensely quiet. Neither the Commanding Officer nor the Baby Fledgling could sort out things they wanted to say. Seras felt rather annoyed at the child; but at the same time, she pitied her. A five-year-old—most likely a child that had just recently learned to dress and clean up her room and such household chores—becoming a vampire? Police Girl couldn't help but release a loud sigh, which made Celia's hair wave around, and the child lifted her head towards the older fledgling at the sound.

_Boy…I wonder if she'll lose _all_ of her marbles when she finds out she'll never grow up…_She glanced down at the little girl, who seemed busy fiddling with her red and black beret, trying to occupy herself rather than speak. Celia really didn't seem like the type to enjoy conversations with others. Seras lowered her eyes to the path she walked on, heading to her chamber. The child had either grown scared of everyone except Walter and Alucard, or she simply felt unwelcome.

Either way, they'd have to warm up to each other _somehow_.

When they reached Seras' underground chamber, she rested Celia on the floor and sat down next to her. "Are you alright now?" She smiled warmly, trying to perk Celia up a bit. "Don't pay those brutes any mind. They're a bit obnoxious, so try to avoid them.'

Celia nodded slowly, then lifted her head, her red eye staring up at Seras, the other covered by the bandages. "…They," The Police Girl blinked, hearing the child's speaking voice for the first time. "They—they are a…bad in flounce?"

"Huh?" Victoria paused, wondering just what in God's name she asked about. Then it snapped in her brain. "Oh! Ha…Yes, yes they are! They can be a horrible influence…" She giggled, slightly relieved that the child didn't ask about something uncomfortable, like where Alucard could have hidden or something. "Those men aren't the type to care for children, although some of them _are _married…" The vampyric commander smiled again, looking down at Celia. "But…don't worry, I'll take good care of you…Er—that is…if you want me to…Our Master," _Wow…_that_ sounded stupid…_Seras thought to herself, "and Sir Integra have given me orders to keep an eye out for you."

"…" Celia blinked. "So—so you're…my nanny?" She seemed truly confused, her red eye widening slightly in her consternation.

Seras stared at the child with embarrassed crimson eyes. "Er—ehehe…" Police Girl laughed nervously and hung her head low. "No…but—er…I guess—I guess I'm your permanent babysitter."

"Ah…" The newest fledgling cocked her head to one side. "Then—then you're my sister?"

Seras paused, studying the sudden hope in Celia's eyes. Did she want a sibling that badly? She had heard from a, rather sane, Alucard that the child had wished that she could have a family again. Hmm, a vampyric family…now _that_ sounded funny to Seras, but she held back a small laugh at the thought. The look in Celia's eyes seemed like she would cry if Seras answered no. _Wait…can vampires cry_? She asked herself. However, she saw the child's eyes watering slightly, so she sighed, answering her own question.

She glanced down at Celia as she tried to choose her answer carefully. "Er—s-sure…"

A smile spread across her face and she giggled. "Sister…"

"Oh…" Seras seemed rather confused about the girl's sudden happiness. _Sister_? "Hm. Well, Our Master told me what happened…and I'm terrible sorry about it—," Her apology had cut short.

"Master Alucard said that—that he's my family though!' Celia's hands clenched into adorable fists and she bounced them lightly up and down. "So—so if he's family, and turned _you_ into a vampire…then you must be family too!"

"Eh?" Victoria blinked. _Has this kid really lost it or what_?! The Police Girl wondered.

Celia smiled, as if she had outsmarted Seras. She held her hands behind her back and balanced on the balls of her feet. "It's easy! Since Master…Master Alucard made you a vampire…then made _me_ a vampire…we're sisters!"

Seras Victoria looked at Celia hopelessly. "Hnn…b-but…"

The child's widened smile stopped her again. "And since we're siblings now…We can play together!" The adorable charm of her grin made Seras return the smile with her own awkward one.

"I suppose…" As hard as she tried, she couldn't even think of her Master playing any type of game with the child. …Nope, not even hide-and-seek! Why turn her into a vampire? Couldn't they have kept her alive—as a human? Maybe _then_ Sir Integra would have had lesser arguments about it!

Victoria sighed lightly. It didn't seem fair. She had spoken to her Master about Celia earlier before, learning of her future and the choice of whether she'll fight or not (which made her stomach twist into knots at the thought of blood splattering all over the poor kid). However, why did Alucard seem so fond of the little girl? He had constantly said that it was nice to have an obedient fledging around while they were talking. Seras couldn't help but grow sick of it. Did he transform Celia at such an age so she wouldn't learn of disobedience any time soon?

For some reason, Seras felt like a rag doll that her Master had just thrown aside—or at least a ghoul.

But Celia seemed so happy; even sitting within the dank, musty basement of the manor. Why? Why was she so easily amused? Why did her Master seem to favor her more?

She bit her lip. _It's because I don't drink blood…or follow his orders…_

No wonder her Master had seemed ecstatic before—a rare thing to see for his cryptic nature—Celia had already started drinking blood; without any complaints, no doubt. Also, she listened to his every word as if she had become a tape recorder.

Alucard seemed to love truly loyal servants of darkness.

"Um—S-seras, right?"

Celia's tiny voice had snapped Seras back to the real world. "Yes?"

"I don't know where my room is…could you show me?" Her eyes looked up at the elder fledgling, making Seras wish she had never thought of the child as a replacement. Maybe—with the crazy luck the mansion had gained recently—Alucard really _did_ pity the girl. Perhaps he…he really wanted to help someone for once.

…Seras hung her head. That'd be the day. All Hell would break loose and Alucard would be sitting on top of the world, laughing mirthlessly like his usual self if Seras ever tossed the question at him.

"Sure, I'll take you to your room, alright?" She smiled warmly, shaking her thoughts away, and took Celia's small hand.

Celia's adorable smile returned and she trotted after Seras happily. "Thank you, sister!"

Seras nearly tripped, and she could've sworn that she could hear her Master laughing somewhere—again.

Well, I've gotten a few ideas for the next chapter. I really hope I got Seras alright…O.O;

Anyway, review pleeeease!! I know I haven't updated for a freakin' long time, but it's not my fault!! points at school and non-inspiration THEY did it!!!

Thanks for reading!!! :3


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Yaye!!! Soooo many reviews!!! I'm so happy!! Review more! Review more! It SERIOUSLY helps a whole lot when I know that others want to see what else happens, and it inspires me to write more!

Anyway, I now dedicate this story to everyone who reads it! Thanks so much! Review pleeease!  
Also, if anyone wants to suggest ideas and some possible scenes occurring (like some people—you know who you are!), it's very much welcome! And if you feel that something's missing or wrong or messed up or something, just let me know! I've tried to make the characters as in-character as possible...but with the anime...and the manga...maaah...so complicated!

Disclaimer: -sniff- I don't –sniff- own Hellsing...-sniff sniff- if I did...-sniff- It would've been longer in the anime!!! The manga and entire idea of Hellsing is owned by Kouta Hirano! The absolute genius person person...

**CHAPTER 9:**

When Seras had returned Celia to her room, the five-year-old had explored her new chamber for almost two hours, wondering if such a large mansion would provide hidden tunnels or secret compartments around the room. The child, before, had giggled excitedly, trotting around the room, looking around on her new, huge bed; peeking over and under the table, and crawling on the floor to look for special secrets or maybe notes that left clues behind.

It ended up with no such luck.

"Aww..." She pouted a little, her cheeks puffing up slightly with her huff. "Poo..." She rested herself on the floor, wishing her recently remembered penguin stuffed animal could suddenly appear in her small arms. In an honest and slightly annoyed fashion, she sighed—proving that she had become bored in the couple of hours she explored her room.

Perhaps she could find her Master or Mr. Walter. Both of them seemed to know the huge building like the palm of their hands. With a resolute nod, she lifted herself up off the floor. Stumbling a little as her legs regained feeling in them (she was sitting on them funny), she walked up to her door. Pausing, she realized that she would simply get lost again if she dared to leave the room.

Celia glanced around frantically and suddenly smiled with accomplishment as she ran up to the table and picked up a spoon. "Hee!" She giggled and held it in front of her triumphantly before running back to the door. As she walked out of the room, she bent down to the floor and dropped the spoon between the heavy door and the wall. It forced the entrance to stay slightly open, making it different from the other doors.

"There...um—," She glanced around. "I hope no one picks it up..." The child backed up a bit, away from the door; and smiled to herself at her success. The door remained a bit open. With this in mind, she glanced around the dark hallway, seeing a couple of other doors. "eh..." She clutched her hat in her hands, then snapped her head down to look at it. "Oh!" Another smile spread across her face and she dropped the hat onto the ground right in front of the door. "Now I can find it again!"

With that, she turned and walked down the corridor, sure of the fact that she could find her way out of the huge maze of stone. She glanced around the dank area, hoping she could find someone this time without getting into some kind of trouble. After a few more minutes, she finally found the stairs leading to the first floor. Happy once again, she climbed up the steps and peeked out from behind the small partition again before trotting into the huge foyer.

Her vampyric red eye looked all around the large room, glancing towards the stairs. "I wonder if—eh...Sir Integra would let me come in..." She walked to the stairs, staring up at the huge incline, trying to come up with a decision. "..."

Clenching her small hands into fists, she walked up the stairs, occasionally slipping on the soft carpeted steps with a high-pitched squeak. She glanced around to make sure no one had started to watch her out of entertainment, then finished her trek up to the second floor.

Once she had rested her feet on a flat plain of carpet, she stared up at the large doors leading to Sir Integra's office. Or—had she entered her room before? Celia scrunched her face up as she tried to remember. Uh-oh...if she had gotten lost again, she'd never hear the end of it from her conscience.

However, the sound of a door opening made her snap her eyes open and look up at the double-doors with wide eyes.

Walter had opened the doors, rolling a serving table out of the room. The child had no idea what could possibly sit on top of such a moving table, but she had become too excited about seeing Walter again to care. "Ha—Mr. Walter!" She put on an adorable smile and waved when he looked down towards her.

"Oh! Good evening again, Miss Pares. I hope you've found everything here to your liking?" His warm smile answered her own and she nodded.

"Yeah! I like it here...but it's really big..."

"Ah, yes. It's hard for everyone when they first arrive. After a few days, though, I'm sure you'll be quite used to it."

"Okay!"

Right when Walter had started to speak again, the other door had burst open and Seras had stomped out, looking at Walter. "Can you _believe_ the nerve of my Master?! Yes, let's just send out poor Celia into the field of battle so she can die of an impossible-to-get-at-this-age heart attack!"

"Miss Victoria, please relax." Walter raised both hands as a gesture to add to his suggestion, trying to calm her down. "I do not approve of his wishes either, but it all must depend on Sir Integra's choice, not Alucard's."

"B-But...But it's an _outrage_! Why would he want to send someone so innocent out to kill ghouls?!" Seras threw her arms out to either side of her in frustration and had turned to leave before stopping as she saw Celia. "oh—,"

The child—entirely lost at their conversation—simply smiled and gave her a small wave. "Hi, sister!"

"Eh—," Seras smiled nervously as Walter glanced at her with a questioning expression before giving her a knowing beam.

"Well, I should be off then." He pulled the rolling tray out of the doors and glanced down at the little five-year-old. "By the way, Miss Pares...Sir Integra needs to see you in just a few minutes. Right now, she's still speaking with Alucard." His monocle flashed as he stood up straight. "Wait for just a moment, and she'll call you in."

"Oh—um...Yes, Mr. Walter!" She nodded quickly, adding a salute that slapped her in the temple. Victoria glanced at the doors, hearing Integra yelling, with Alucard's occasional chuckle.

Seras giggled, looking down at the child. "I'll stay with Celia until Sir Integra calls her, Walter," She volunteered, waving Walter good-bye.

"Alright, Miss Victoria. Oh—and could you take her back to her room once she's finished speaking with Sir Integra?"

"Yes, sir!" The Police Girl nodded to confirm her words and glanced down at the girl with a smile.

When Walter left, Seras sat down besides Celia with a relaxed sigh. "Are you alright, Celia?"

"Mm-hmm!" She nodded with a bright smile. "I like this place...there's lots of hiding places."

_So she_ does_ like hide-and-seek..._Seras thought, stretching her arms. "You don't think it's too gloomy or dark?"

The child blinked and cocked her head to one side. "Gloomy?"

"Yeah...the Hellsing Manor wasn't exactly built to house little children..."

"Oh—but...I can be an adult!" She stood up straight, just like a soldier, remembering what Walter taught her. "See? I'll be a small adult!"

"Eheh..." Victoria grinned uncertainly. "Well..."

"And Master Alucard's gonna be here, right?" Celia smiled, showing her newly received fangs as she plopped herself back down on the floor. "If I ever get scared...he can scare everything else away!"

"Uh...I suppose," Seras frowned lightly. _He would just enjoy her crying...Why does she put so much faith in him?_

Just as she opened her mouth, the double doors opened slowly, Sir Integra standing between them, Alucard sitting within the office with his legs propped up on a table. "Celia Pares, please come in,"

The five-year-old jumped in alarm and nodded quickly. "Yes!" She scrambled up to her feet again, running after Integra.

Seras stepped towards the doors, but Integra turned her cold, ice blue eyes towards her. "Seras, prepare for our next mission."

"Oh—but..."

"I must meet with Maxwell today while you're gone. Celia..." Integra sighed, pulling off her large glasses while she massaged the bridge of her nose. "Will be joining me."

"...What?" Seras cried. "To see _Maxwell_?! What if Paladin Anderson's there?!"

"I have no choice in the matter. It's either she stays here by herself; joins you and sees death before she even recognizes it, or come with Walter and I."

"Ah—but—she..."

"We won't have any more discussion of this, Seras Victoria. Prepare for your mission."

Police Girl sighed and saluted quickly. "Yes, sir." And she turned, sprinting down the stairs for her room in the underground floors.

Integra turned to the office and walked inside, closing the door behind her.

"Celia Pares," She started, taking a seat in the large chair behind the desk. "You will be visiting a museum with Walter and me, today. We will be meeting with Enrico Maxwell to discuss a supposed treaty he promises me." The leader of Hellsing slowly picked up a cigar from near the ashtray and brought it to her lips. "In a way that Alucard puts it—you'll be..." The woman sighed, hating Alucard's grin with a passion as she struggled to say it aloud, "a pet for the day."

The child blinked and scratched the back of her head. "P-pet? You mean...like—like a puppy?"

Alucard sat up from his seat. "Come over here, Little Fledgling..."

She blinked and approached him, seemingly lost in yet another conversation.

"You're going to a place where they show a lot of pictures." He smirked as her eyes lit up—she must like art. "The Police Girl and I have to attend to something else, so you have to stay with Walter and my Master."

"O-okay..." She nodded lightly in obedience and glanced up at Sir Integra then back to her Master. "Um—could I bring some snacks?"

"Walter might bring some if Sir Integra allows it, okay?" He ruffled her hair quickly as she bobbed her head in agreement and he stood up, towering over her. "I suppose my preparation is required..." He glanced at Integra with his usual smirk. "I'll see you after the mission, Miss Hellsing,"

Integra growled warningly as he left through the wall then stood up slowly, approaching Celia. "You'll have to wear this, otherwise Maxwell will think you can run rampant." She slipped a thick leather collar around Celia's neck, hiding it behind her shirt collar. After that, she clipped it to a long, thin leash. "This isn't permanent, so bare with us, otherwise we cannot form some type of deal with Maxwell. Do you understand, Celia?"

"Um—y-yes!" She nodded quickly, tempted to make some type of obedient animal noise, like a bark or meow or something.

However, Integra's ice blue eyes gave her the warning not to mess around.

Somehow it reminded her of her mother—but she had bright green eyes.

Either way, Celia felt like she was home again. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of home. The woman looked down at the fledgling and raised an eyebrow at the smile before walking out of the room; allowing Celia to simply run around with the leash dragging on the floor behind her for now.

With a giggle, Celia jumped onto her feet and ran excitedly after her Master's Master.

As they walked towards the huge doors that Celia had seen before, Walter come up (out of nowhere by the way) and handed Celia some large sunglasses with dark blue, slightly rainbow-y lenses. "You'll need these, Miss Pares. I'm afraid becoming a vampire has many disadvantages that you have yet to learn of."

"Okay!" She took the sunglasses with a small hand and glanced up at Integra as she knelt down to take the other end of the leash.

_I don't even know _why_ I'm doing this..._Integra thought furiously to herself. _This is madness...Her appearance will be more of a disturbance than a strategy to form this so-called treaty!_ The leader of Hellsing stepped into the car, then lifted Celia up into it when she struggled to climb in on her own. Walter sat in the driver's seat, starting up the car.

The Master of a monster couldn't believe how excited Celia looked. It seemed like she had never seen shops or museums before—like she had never left her house. Now, the child had run up to the opposite window that Integra sat, staring out into the world, her sunglasses protecting her sensitive vampire eyes (or eye) from the sun.

What seemed so great about seeing the outside world? Had it become a childish curiosity or had Celia simply never gone outdoors? Whatever answer, Integra became too occupied concentrating on how to handle her meeting with Maxwell.

Hopefully no trouble arose from their conference. Sir Integra had no other choice but to drag the child along—she'd end up by herself in the manor if they left her behind. Alucard would try to get her to become some bloodthirsty psycho as soon as possible, and going along with Seras Victoria would simply scar the young child's mind with nightmares.

If she had made the right choice then hopefully proof would show up before Celia gained another injury, or Hellsing's only choice for an ally disappeared.

--- What will happen when Celia meets one of Hellsing's highest rated rivals and only choice for an ally? What insult will Maxwell come up with for Integra other than Protestant Sow? Will Alucard come to save the day if something goes horribly wrong? What mission were they sent on, and is Anderson going to make an appearance? Find out next time, on The Vampyric Toddler, Chapter 10! n.n


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hi again people!!!

…I'M SOOOOO SORRY FOR NOT POSTING ANYTHING FOR SO LOOONG!!!! ;0;

The freakin' wall of Writer's Block is so freakin' tall!!! –glares up at it—

Hehehe…I'm getting more excited about this story as I write it! Please keep reviewing; it gives me support…-nod nod-

Anyway, ON WITH THE STORY!!!

Oh! By the way!!! I got a threat that Celia would hurt me! O.o My own character! Creepy!

Disclaimer: Seriously! Would the creator of an anime make fanfiction? Nooo…they'd put their ideas into the anime or manga…or make a side story!!! XD So yeah…Don't own Hellsing, Kouta Hirano does, so buzz off and read!

By the way, if anyone if out of character, please don't shoot me!! I haven't watched my DVDs for a while…so I'm not exactly sure if they'll be good or not…just let me know and tell me what I need to fix!

**CHAPTER 10:**

Celia couldn't believe her vampyric eyes. A museum! A huge house with a display of pictures! She stared up at the colossal building, seeing people walk in and out of the public structure. She wondered what she would get to see when they went inside. The five-year-old glanced over at Integra, her cute smile pasted on her face.

"What are we going to see—oh—um…Sir Integra?" The child asked, looking up at the leader of Hellsing thoughtfully.

Integra tensed before glancing at her, twisting the remains of her cigar in the ashtray. "This is the Imperial War Museum. Hundreds of paintings are displayed here for the public to see."

"Oh…" Celia elongated the word as she understood then turned back to look at the huge building again. Her eyes wide with curiosity, she pressed her forehead against the wall. It was just like the huge hallway at her old house—which was covered in portraits, drawings, and arts and crafts made by her siblings.

"Come along, Celia, or we'll be late."

"Uh—eh—Yes, sir!" She followed after Integra out of the car and the woman bent down, picking up the other end of the leash.

"Remember, Celia; you must behave yourself." She warned, glancing up at Walter as he climbed out of the car. "Let's go."

"Okay," The child mumbled.

Walter smiled slightly and followed them.

They walked up the huge steps towards the building. Integra and her butler walked up just fine, while Celia practically had to leap onto each step. Walter chuckled, while his mistress sighed in frustration and waited for her and the top step. The child's face turned a slight red with embarrassment and she tried to walk up normally, but nearly fell over. Finally she decided to simply climb each step on her hands and feet.

When she reached the final step, Integra immediately headed for the entrance, with Walter following after. Celia trotted after them quickly, wondering what pictures they would see. She had never visited a museum before—let alone seen a city. Her parents had talked about it, but said that she shouldn't bother, plus her age made her too young to see it anytime soon.

However, here she walked, following what she considered her new family, inside a museum! She couldn't stand the excitement; it felt so great to visit a town for the first time. Although the powerful odors of smoke and morning made her nose wrinkle, it certainly was an experience to remember. Celia giggled to herself quietly, and Walter glanced down at her with his warm smile. She returned his beam with her own, and concentrated on behaving well. So, in that train of thought, she stood straight and followed Integra—although she still kept up her happy trot, turning it into a perky march.

Integra sighed heavily. She couldn't believe that she actually decided to go through with this. Alucard had insisted—practically _begged_ her to allow him to take her with him. It was rather amusing watching Alucard try to pull off a puppy-eyed look, but Integra stuck to her decision. His Master had closed the subject then. Alucard could not take such an innocent child to a massacre. If Celia had to join anyone, Integra would take her—she did not need to have any part in the army of Hellsing until Integra felt it the right time.

Now, she felt like she had just committed a crime, taking a child to a place that could end up dangerous. If Maxwell _did_ bring Anderson along, Celia would end up in huge trouble. Then again, it also would depend on if they noticed her vampyric traits.

Her ice blue eyes turned up to see the same piece as before—"Wilander, Earl of Worchester, At The Battle of Mamon Plain". Painted by Kaster, it looked like a marvelous piece of work.

"I do so wonder how artists paint something like this in their lifetime." Walter asked himself aloud. Integra glanced at him, the same question entering her mind after he inquired it.

Celia stared up at the painting, sitting on the floor, her hands in front of her. "Wow…"

"Amazing, isn't it, Miss Pares?" Walter smiled, looking down at her.

"It's really big!" She pointed up at it. "Why are they carrying flags?"

"It shows which side you've chosen to fight for or support."

"Oh…" The child grew quiet, looking up at the picture.

Integra glanced at Walter, wondering what Maxwell could possibly have done to end up late to their meeting _again_. She looked down to the five-year-old. Celia had grown a bit bored simply sitting there, so she had turned around to face the other paintings nearby and down the hallways. If she were some type of animal, her ears would probably have gone haywire with interest at the other images.

"I suppose being late is a hobby of his now," Integra muttered, wishing she had a cigar with her.

"I must agree with you, as well as apologize for such a thing," Someone said calmly.

The leader of Hellsing turned her head before turning the rest of her body. "Enrico Maxwell. What do you want from me _this_ time?"

The director of Iscariot's Section XII Bureau had finally arrived, along with his butler walking behind him. Integra frowned, making Maxwell's grin disappear.

"I'm very sorry, Sir Integra. If anything, I could make up for my tardy by trying to make this meeting…as short as possible."

"Alright then. Explain yourself. I want to know what you want."

"We have come here…to form a negotiations treaty, or at least try to." He bowed from his waist, knowing his manners quite well. "I realize that our last meeting was…unnecessary, what with my sending Anderson out once again to fight in your Hellsing 'territory,'"

"Get to the point, Maxwell." Integra growled lightly. "Ghouls don't wait forever now, do they?"

"Ah, but of course," He said smoothly, a light frown crossing his face. "You should not order a _superior_ around, Integra. I know that you have much more time than you say. Don't waste it by telling me you're too busy." He glanced down towards her fists as they clenched slowly, one hand tightening around a black rope.

Maxwell blinked, pausing momentarily in his savoring of Integra's annoyance. What the—why would Integra carry a rope? His eyes followed the black item, and it started to resemble…a leash?

The other end of it led to a latch connected to a collar…

…around a child's neck.

What in God's name? A child was with Integra??

It seemed that Integra noticed his wide-eyed stare, because he saw her body move to turn towards the child as well.

Celia blinked, feeling four different pairs of eyes on her as she stared up at a picture on the opposite wall. She had concentrated so hard on the picture that she hadn't heard anything they spoke of. The small hairs on the back of her neck stood straight and she shivered. In order to find out what happened, she looked up towards Integra, and stopped as her visible eye clashed views with a man on the opposite side of the Hellsing leader.

"…nuh…" Her eyes grew larger as she stared at him. _Wow…his hair is pretty…_She thought to herself, noticing his long hair. With a cute smile, she bowed her head a little to Maxwell.

His emerald eyes only grew wider. _What is such a child doing with_ Integra?! The leader of the Iscariot Organization glared up towards Integra, standing up straight from gaping at the small child.

"What is the meaning of this, Integra?!" He pointed slowly to the child. Celia jumped back a couple inches from her original seat on the floor from his sudden change in volume. "Why is there a _child_ in _your_ posses—?"

Before he dared to continue, he heard one of the doors into the hallway open, then close. Everyone's attention turned to the doors, except for Celia, who jumped up rapidly to hide behind Walter (Integra seeming too annoyed already to even _dare_ try).

Integra held her breath. "What is he—?"

Paladin Alexander Anderson walked away from the doors, standing next to Maxwell's accomplice. His face looked—_very_ surprisingly—calm, maybe even _happy_, if Integra ever thought of using the word to describe such an insane being.

"Ah—Anderson, it seems you could make it today," Maxwell said coolly, baring a suave smile, looking over at Integra to see her reaction. "Thank you for coming," His eyes darted down to the child as if she would jump and attack at first sight of a lowered guard.

Integra glanced towards Walter, who seemed rather shocked at Anderson's tranquil demeanor as well. Celia turned her head slightly at the voices, blinking at yet another visitor. She poked a bit of her head out from behind Walter—enough for one eye to see.

"Ah was just admirin' the afternoon for ae wee bit." He said, glancing over to Enrico with a calm smile. "Hope ah dinna waste any time for ye."

Maxwell shook his head. "No, no! No time wasted at all. Integra and I were just about to begin our meeting." He glanced towards her with a smirk. "And I believe she has brought her own guest along…"

"Whit?" Anderson frowned, growling lightly; expecting Hellsing's vampyric pet, Alucard.

However, his leader nodded down towards Integra's butler. He followed Enrico's eyes, and saw a child hiding behind Walter.

…A child…

She had burgundy-hued hair; it made him think of red wine. Her eyes (at least the one he could see) were wide with interest and fear. A patch covered the right, also surrounded by thick strands of her wine-colored hair. Adorned with the clothing of the Hellsing army, the colors bared a similar resemblance to Alucard's outfit. Her head was topped with a hat, decorated with chains, buckles, and straps. The only word he could think of to describe such a small child was…adorable—the eyes only made this fact more obvious.

However, he questioned why she was in Integra's presence. What would the Hellsing Organization want with a chil—?

Then it hit him—the red in her eye representing the very trait of a creature he despised.

"Ae vampire…" He seemed shocked at such a thing. "How--?"

"What?" Maxwell seemed just as shocked as his servant at the statement. "That child, she's—?!"

Now, it was Integra's turn to have an air of amusement. She watched them silently, glancing down at Celia as she hid herself behind Walter's leg again. With an eyebrow raised, she looked back to the leader of Iscariot and his companions.

The leader of Hellsing could tell that Anderson was trying unbelievably hard to retain his fury—his loathing of vampires—for the sake of a child's life. "How long?"

"Hmm?" Integra looked at the insane priest, amazed at his never-before-seen control. "What do you mean, Paladin?"

"Thon child…How long…How long has thon wee child been ae vampire?!"

Celia looked at him with fear, the tone of his voice not comforting her. Walter must have noticed her shivering hands, because he leaned over to pat her head for a moment to calm her.

"Barely even a week," Integra stated, craving a cigar more than ever now.

"This is an outrage!!" Maxwell hollered, stepping forward. "You're vampire collection has begun to fall out of your grasp, Integra!"

A slight smirk appeared on her face. "That's the only thing I can agree with, Enrico. I'm certain you have your own insanities crawling around, yourself?"

"You—How dare you—?!" He was cut off as Anderson approached the Hellsing trio. "Anderson!! What are you doing?"

"Let me see thon child." The priest demanded, staring down at Celia just before she disappeared behind the Hellsing butler.

"Why?" Integra asked, Walter moving a bit and enabling Celia to hide a bit better.

"…" He glared towards the Protestant woman, not bothering to give her a reason.

Her eyes narrowed in anger as his refusal to comply with an answer, but she agreed. "Fine." Looking down at Celia, she nodded towards the priest. "It's alright."

Celia—curiosity threatening to kill her (literally), cautiously sidled out from behind the Angel of Death, moving slowly up to the Iscariot Organization's trump card.

He stared at her for a moment, hatred visible, making her cower back a bit as he raised one hand. It rested on the top of her hat, relaxing as she opened her eyes and looked at the huge man before her. With a hidden smile, Anderson patted her head quickly, making her giggle as her hat fell out of place and hid her eyes from view. Her fangs showed as she smiled, bringing her hands up to readjust her hat.

Maxwell sighed heavily. "Your fondness for children is amazing, Anderson…" He looked at Integra with angry eyes. "But having a child in your possession…how could that have possibly happened?"

"The attack on the Pares family, just a week ago, was the cause. This young child is Celia Pares—the youngest of the family." She forced back a smirk, but it still showed. "Alucard had no choice. She refused to be left alone, but she didn't want to die just yet, either." Her face then grew solemn. "I had many disagreements with him, but his odd way of showing sympathy convinced me that this is how he saves a life."

"What happened to the wee lass' eye?" Anderson inquired, looking towards the Hellsing leader as if it and Iscariot had suddenly formed a peace treaty.

"The ghouls who massacred her family attacked her last—she had been hidden away within the guest house in the yard, and we arrived just as they were about to tear her apart."

Celia shrank back at the memory and stared at the floor, tears instantly rising up in her visible eye.

"The Pares family?" Maxwell contemplated her words for a moment, watching as the child rubbed her eye quickly and raised her head to meet Anderson's face with a bright smile; which made him a bit confused before he returned it with his own. (see pg. 148 of vol. 2, the fifth panel, for proof of Anderson having the ability to really SMILE!)

"Yes. Apparently the loss of her entire family and all that held value to her was also the loss of humanity."

"This—this is not acceptable, Integra. I want a complete explanation of this!"

"You'll receive it then, but it will be in a less popular area." She turned to Walter. "Please keep an eye on Celia."

"Of course, Sir Integra." He bowed as she left, Maxwell following her with furious eyes, glancing back at the child before they both disappeared around the corner to discuss the matter, as well as Celia Pares' story.

Walter and Maxwell's servant released equally exasperated sighs before watching Anderson and Celia. Though still containing a great deal of nervousness, Celia enjoyed the Paladin's company; and they had both begun to point out some paintings. She asked simplistic questions, while he answered them simply with a great deal of patience.

Celia wondered if they were supposed to be enemies—but she didn't feel unsafe or anything of the sort; Anderson made her smile just as much as her Master Alucard did.

Was it okay to get along with your enemy?


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Okay…I've come up with an excuse for my tardiness of posting the story!

School:D :D It's been trying to kill mee! I hate Geometry and Biology and Spanish! Also, I've been having some issues with a few people I know, so…yeah, that is distracting me too…

So yeah, that's my excuse. I think I'll be posting a lot more in the summer though, or at least when school lightens up the work (highly unlikely u.u)

Aw man…I LOVE YOU GUYS! So much support!

Thank you so very much:3 :3

Anyway, on with the story!

**CHAPTER 11:**

Asleep in the backseat of the car, Celia waited peacefully for Integra and Walter's return. She had grown tired inside the museum; so Walter had carried her out, placed her in the car then returned to Sir Integra's side. The backseat was dark—a black cover on the window blocked the sun's shining rays, preventing any sunlight from penetrating Celia's napping spot.

The fledgling had one arm bent with her hand under her head, while her elbow was in front of her face, and the other hand was clutching a thick blanket Walter had found in the trunk of the car. With eyes shut a bit tightly as she dreamed, she whimpered a little and tightened in her position for a moment before relaxing again. Her mouth was slightly open, her burgundy-colored hair hiding most of her small face. She sighed a bit in her sleep, her dreams filled with black, red, white, blood, screaming, and a large, fanged grin—or was it the crescent moon?

Her body was curled up in a ball, the blanket making her look like a large rodent with no tail or large ears. Walter had taken off the leash, which was lying on the car's floor, along with the collar.

As she slept, Integra and Walter finally walked out of the museum, followed by Maxwell and his two comrades. When they reached the final step, Integra turned to Enrico as he called out her name and held out his hand, waiting for her to take it. She took it with great reluctance, shaking it to confirm whatever deal they had made one final time. Maxwell smirked, satisfied, then moved past her to reach his own transportation. Anderson glanced at Integra's car, just barely seeing the small child in the window, watching when Integra opened the door and scooted Celia over so she could sit down.

"Having such a young child become a vampire…" Maxwell scoffed in disgust, watching as the car pulled away from the sidewalk and into the traffic. "That Protestant witch has made far too many mistakes."

"…" Anderson had no honest clue how to react. As fond of children as he was, owning an orphanage and such, he couldn't help but gain a small loathing for Celia—her vampire heritage was unforgivable. She was cursed to be a child forever—to remain at that very age, her purpose now to live forever as a five-year-old, as a vulnerable, sensitive creature meant to walk irregular hours and drink the abhorring taste of blood.

How long would she survive? Was she obedient to Hellsing's damned pet, Alucard? Anderson couldn't help but growl in disgust. Alucard…the abomination had mutated the child's chance of a normal life. It was—it should be a sin, dragging a child down into the life of a monster!

What was he supposed to do? Kill the child along with Alucard and his other fledgling? In her state now—eternal youth at a literal meaning—he couldn't bear to destroy a child; despite the vampire traits, she was innocent yet. She had not committed the crime of drinking a victim's blood—hopefully. Her eyes did not show bloodlust or deterioration of the human instincts, so how would Anderson live with killing a child that had a mind below the ability of comprehending death? Not even her smile was tarnished by insanity yet, to which Anderson thanked the Lord.

The guilt of having to see that child turn to ash someday would drive him further into insanity than he already was!

"Anderson, come along." Maxwell ordered, sitting in the car.

With a nod, and a frustrated look on his face, he turned and moved into the car.

"You with pay for thon child, Alucard. Ah swear to it."

Celia awoke within a confined darkness—noticing the smell of confinement easily because of her frequent trips to the closet when her brothers teased her or played hide-and-seek. She sat up with a high-pitched gasp, thwacking her head against…a ceiling?

Her red eye looked up, but didn't see anything for a few moments, her eyes still adjusting to vampyric senses and darkness. Clutching her forehead, she whimpered a little, wishing that there was a light switch. Finally, she noticed that she was in some type of box.

Panic filled her and she looked around for something to get her out. Within her moment of fear, she didn't notice red eyes appear above her. Blinking back tears, feeling like she was going to be trapped for a while, she lifted her head, propping herself up on her elbows so her forehead wouldn't collide with the top again.

The eyes staring down at her widened in amusement as hers did the same with terror, and she squeaked, jumping back and hitting her head on the top again anyway, whining as she did so, rolling up into a fetal position as she gripped her head.

A loud chuckle surrounded the box she sat within and the top was suddenly pulled open. "Good evening, Celia…" The familiar voice was deep, almost calming.

Opening her good eye to peek around, she lifted her head cautiously, a large tear forming in the corner from a bump on her head. "M…Master Alucard!"

His usual fanged grin was plastered on his face. "You seem to have slept well. Did you enjoy your time at the museum?"

"Oh—uh…mm-hmm!" She nodded and stood up as the top of the coffin was raised up to the real ceiling. "The city was fun, Master…"

"I see." He smirked, standing up straight, looking at the table nearby, noticing the recently placed "juice box". "So it was your first time to see the town, was it not?"

"Yeah…" She followed his gaze for a moment, but looked up at him. "Master…? I…um…I have a question…"

"Really? I may have an answer." He chuckled, lifting Celia up and resting her on the chair by the table gently. "What do you which to ask?"

Staring at the small box filled with her necessary amount of human fluid, she began her inquiry. "Um…Mister…Mr. Anderson is…a bad guy…right?"

"I wouldn't say he's so horrible—but he works for an enemy organization, who I suppose we just agreed to work with for a while." His wild grin appeared, remembering their past battles. "He's quite fun, Celia." As his fangs disappeared behind his lips, he stared at his favorable fledgling with his piercing red eyes. "Sir Integra told me of your meeting him. Did he frighten you?"

"Yeah…a little…eh…a lot…" The child mumbled; her face flushed a bit as she struggled to give his an honest answer unlike when once speaking to her parents. If her brothers made fun of her and she went to her parents, she under exaggerated so her siblings wouldn't end up in so much trouble and look for her later just to do it again. "He…looked like he was fighting himself…or something. I watched him, and he would smile; but his eyes would get angry and twitch…"

Alucard couldn't help but laugh in amusement at hearing of Anderson's reaction. Oh, how delicious the next battle would be—Anderson fighting with the fury of monsters, and the Nosferatu combating like the real monster he was. Celia blinked in consternation as her master continued in his expressing amusement; the deep chuckle soon echoed throughout the Hellsing manor. She felt shivers crawl up and down her spine as it finally faded and she looked up at him wide-eyed, wondering how he did that.

"Let us hope your next meeting is more…_exciting_, my little fledgling…" The elder vampire smirked, grabbing the little box and handing it to her, his statement leaving her in a great state of confusion.

Instead of trying to decipher what he spoke of, she sucked in blood from the straw.

The elder vampire had insisted in having Celia follow him that day. Constantly, Integra would receive complaints from the soldiers as they caught sight of him sliding through a hallway with the child waddling after him like a baby chick stalking its parent.

Releasing small sighs with every grievance, she would dismiss it immediately and continue with her work, stating that Alucard simply wanted the pint-sized fledgling to become accustomed to obeying, following, and watching him.

Even Walter would try to explain it—also telling the few picky soldiers that the leader of Hellsing had been buried in work. The nosferatu could do as he pleased, so long as he didn't kill anyone unnecessarily. Integra couldn't exactly reprimand him for flying around the mansion's corridors. He couldn't pass the time any other way, especially since no problems had arisen since the massacre of Celia's family.

Perhaps he was trying to improve the child's abilities (if she had any). Sir Hellsing highly doubted that the young, innocent blood-sucker had instant special abilities. A story she heard from one soldier was that Alucard had gliding through a wall; while Celia ran into it in an attempt to follow him. Such a scenario forced out a chuckle even from the icy personality of Integra. The old vampire must have had quite a few laughs—having a five-year-old around might even keep Alucard from irritating Integra during her paperwork.

Finally she could get a decent amount of labor finished!

Lifting up a large pile of papers from her desk, she straightened them against the sanded, mahogany wood of her desk before resting them down to begin reading and reviewing them.

However, she suddenly imagined Celia sitting in the middle of the office, holding a pen oddly in her hand and simply scribbling across many unnecessary papers.

Without her realizing it, Integra released an amused smirk before returning to the tasks at hand.

Alucard chuckled to himself as he watched Celia trot after him, her eyes wide and attentive; though distracted, as if she focused on him and released him into her own imagination rather than the dark corridors he had them traveling through. She was unbelievably entertaining, despite her young age.

The child seemed to enjoy the manor, even if she had just arrived a week ago. Soon the Vatican's Section XIII bureau would arrive and the nosferatu would end up busy with enjoying the mad priest's raving lunacies. From what he heard from the childnow chasing him and, quite often, crashing into walls—mentioned about him; he had become rather frustrated with his compassion for orphans and vehement hatred for vampires when he caught sight of Celia, and when he realized her eternal fate.

With a dark grin and a soft chuckle, Alucard suddenly lowered himself to the floor, and his face was soon mere inches away from the five-year-old he claimed as his fledgling. She nearly ran into him, but caught herself in time, grabbing a few locks of his hair to stop from falling into him or backwards as she skidded forward with a small gasp.

"Do you wish to visit the Police Girl, My Little Fledgling?" The elder asked, grinning as she inhaled in excitement and nodded, her blood red eyes lighting up.

"Yeah! I want to see my sister!" She smiled, looking up at her Master as confusion seemed to dawn on his face before he shook it away—as if it were never even there.

They turned back the other direction, Celia grabbing a hold of his coat to keep up. He couldn't help but let go of another chuckle at that. Even then, she would lose her grip and stumble after him with a small cry of surprise.

Despite the fact that he had a child chasing after him, the soldiers of Hellsing still found him so intimidating. Some scrambled out of the way as they passed, others stood straight and perfectly still to try and avoid any contact with them. Alucard could sense fear, confusion, and wonder from them, and heard some of them laughing quietly to themselves as they watched Celia trail after the monstrous creature.

The two of them finally reached the door to Seras' room, and he easily slid through it, assisting Celia in such a move as well since she still had a tight grip on his trench coat. "Good evening, Police Girl,"

Seras turned in shock, nearly knocking over the table she stood by. "Gah! Master, don't _do_ that! I was—er—I was concentrating!" Her eyes were wide—almost embarrassed. Alucard had his usual Cheshire cat grin spread across his face; shrugging as if his presence was nothing.

"I see," Such a statement made the tenseness in Seras' shoulders disappear, but both of them knew that he wouldn't leave it at that.

"What exactly were you concentrating on, Police Girl?"

"Ah—un…" The girl lowered her head—noticing Celia for the first time as well. "I-I was just thinking about what I should do to practice and recover my strength!"

"And what ideas have you come up with?" Alucard smirked, waving his hand towards the table she was obviously trying to block. She turned towards it quickly, as if he had signaled that something else was there—but there wasn't.

Only the bowl filled with blood was there, a spoon covered in blood had a small puddle of the red body fluid pooling around it. There was also a small trail of blood dribbling down Victoria's cheek, which Alucard wiped away with is glove.

If she were alive, she'd probably be blushing with embarrassment or humiliation, but she did not, just gazed at the line of red on his glove with surprise. "Ah—I—Master, I'm trying, I _really_ am!'

"I see that, Police Girl. Little Celia can see that as well." The child accompanying the monster nodded her agreement. "You will learn—we will make sure of that." A grin crossed his face again. _Uh-oh…_Seras thought, recognizing the impish smirk.

"Perhaps you would prefer the juice boxes Walter gives to Celia? They're quite fun—you won't even know the difference," Seras frowned in annoyance, knowing that it had been a trick in the first place to give her the disguised blood. To add to it, she hadn't actually had anything to drink since she was converted into the fledgling she was now.

Celia smiled warmly, nodding at Alucard's idea. "Mr. Walter makes it really good!" A soft, giddy laugh escaped the child's body and she looked up at Seras. "I like it…I'll share them with you, sister!"

"Eh-heh…" The Police Girl gave her a nervous grin, glancing back at the bowl of blood. "Thank you, Celia, but I'll be fine,"

"Oh…" She seemed rather disappointed, but then seemed more determined than ever. "Well, then I'll still share when you want one!"

Alucard chuckled, then lifted Celia up onto the chair at the table, the sight of the bowl of blood lighting up the red pupils of the fledgling's innocent eyes. "Ha!" She took in another breath of pleasure and nearly scrambled for the spoon, taking a few dollops of the thick liquid. Seras looked utterly shocked at her action, watching quietly.

"Are you going to finish it off, Seras Victoria?" Her Master asked. Lifting her head, she stared at him, wondering if he even grasped the horrors of a five-year-old child drinking blood. Celia watched quietly, sucking softly on the ladle, only that small amount of blood satisfying her already.

How much would she crave when she became older, yet never grew?

"I—uh…" Why couldn't she do this? She felt like a fool, standing there and not drinking blood as she needed when Celia even had enthusiasm for hearing about it after only a few days of living as a bloodsucker.

"…Fine…alright," For the sake of the child's hope—to be able to help the child with every bit of strength a vampire could have. Moving back to the table, Seras slowly lifted up the red-stained bowl, gazing at the contents hesitantly, knowing that drinking it would just…make her more insane, more lustful of the stuff.

More like Alucard.

Did she really want to be as insane as him? What about Celia? What would she do if Celia was to get hurt and she wasn't strong enough to help if Alucard were to be absent?

With that goal in mind—to be strong, to protect the innocence of the newest member of Alucard's family—Seras downed the entire bowl of blood.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: On with the story! Yup yup! Sorry for making it rather short this time!

Disclaimer: …I don't own Hellsing! Yeesh! Ay yi yi…if only I did though…hehehe

**CHAPTER 12:**

Integra stood by the banister of the stairs, moving a cigar around in her mouth, the only thing set a light throughout the foyer. It was midnight, Alucard was wide awake, as well as Seras. Celia had fallen asleep, or so she heard from the elder vampire when he had arrived in her office, declaring boredom, hunger, and the love of teasing his master.

She now stared down at the double doors at the entrance of the manor, her icy, azure eyes glittering just slightly from the moon as it passed through the large windows above the doors. He was coming. The cigar hissed and sizzled quietly as she took a whiff of it, the blaze lighting up her eyes, making them look yellow from afar before returning to a cold blue. Anderson would arrive in mere moments—to greet both the vampires and the leader he would be working with for a month or more.

_How could I do this? What was I thinking when I agreed to this "peace treaty" of Maxwell's…demanding that I allow his little priest to waltz around my manor like a tourist?_ Her teeth clamped against the cigar, one hand that rested against the stone banister clenching into a tight fist, the other resting within a coat pocket. _If he causes any problems…damage, death, changes to my soldiers' or warriors' daily lives…I will make sure to shoot him thrice in the heart without hesitation, and then hunt Enrico down myself._

Turning her head, she heard a dark chuckle from the darkest corner of the second floor, an irritated groan escaping her throat. "Alucard. Excited, are you?"

"Was it so obvious, my Master?"

"It's rather amusing. I don't see why you would want the Paladin to come here," She returned her gaze to the entry doors, lifting her head just slightly towards the windows—her eyes raising to them as she heard a crash of thunder—the storm Walter had mentioned to her that morning had arrived at last.

"His presence is not in _my_ favor, Sir Hellsing…I await his visit for the sake of dear little Celia. She seemed to…enjoy his company while you were at the museum." The king of the night laughed, his shoulders shaking slightly as he effortlessly slipped through the wall, taking his place by his master's side. "He is fond of children, or so I've heard."

"Anderson owns his own orphanage." She stated bluntly.

Alucard shrugged, smirking. "Celia mentioned something of the look on his face when he realized her fate…did you see it as well, my Master?"

"Yes, I did actually. That was one reason why I feared her joining me as well. If he had lost control of his fuming hatred, she may have not returned."

"That, I am aware of." The monster released yet another chuckle. "But with you…as well as Walter there, I was certain Celia would return with no scars."

"I'm surprised you'd put so much trust in a human," She raised an eyebrow, turning her head towards him.

"Not always. However, I do so love putting so much faith into my Master…" Alucard grinned maniacally, while Integra frowned, turning away as she heard four loud knocks on the door.

"…"

"…"

They both stood there silently, gazing down at the door.

Three knocks this time—harder than before, angrier. Alucard hid a laugh and Integra raised an eyebrow.

"Rather touchy, isn't he?" The nosferatu smirked, soon disappearing into the wall again. "I will summon the Police Girl and my Little Fledgling…"

Integra only nodded her acknowledgement of his instant schedule.

She stared down at the door, watching Walter calmly stride to the huge doors, which were hit by five knocks with a loud yell of passion for the death of the wood on the doors. The leader of Hellsing couldn't help but snort at the near inaudible comment.

Walter opened the door, looking up at Anderson's towering form—just as tall as Alucard. "Welcome, Sir Paladin, please come inside. Integra has been waiting. Alucard and his servants will join us in a moment."

"Aye." He nodded, harrumphing gruffly as he unceremoniously dropped his one baggage to the floor, sopping wet. With one hand, he brushed his fingers through his soaked hair, glancing around the manor in disgust. So this was Hellsing's fortress.

As he looked around listlessly, he lifted his head up towards Integra, watching her as she slowly descended down the stairs, her teeth clenching a half-finished cigar. His green eyes were squinted as he glared at her, questions running through his mind regarding the young child he had met before.

"I'm sure you are curious to know your proper chamber…" She started, glancing at Walter, who nodded about his room—without being questioned; he answered her inquiry about the preparation of Anderson's room.

"Ah just need to be pointed in the right direction," He grumbled, lifting his bag back into one hand. The Hellsing leader nodded in compliance and Walter pointed down a large hallway.

"…Thanks." His appreciation seemed to be forced out of his entire being, and he made his way through the corridor easily, finding his room because the door was open.

Also there, was the puny excuse for a monster.

Celia was peeking into the room curiously, clinging to the door, standing on the other side of it; so he could barely see her body, just her head and her fingers clutching the entrance. She looked so innocent…the only thing truly vampyric of her were her eyes—a piercing blood red, whether she wished to frighten someone or not, she would succeed either way.

Her cheeks were slightly red, her fangs protruding just slightly from her mouth. Anderson's worst fear for the child had come true.

A five-year-old was drinking blood. Even the thought of it gave him a nasty taste in his mouth—possibly bile or maybe some type of adrenal disgust. Her rosy cheeks proved that her stomach was full of the stuff.

Why? Why did she become a vampire—she had a severe eye wound that was all; why did that monster have to change her into…into a blood-lusting creature of the night!

When he snapped back to reality, he finally realized that Celia was staring at him with wide eyes; wide, red eyes.

"Ah—uh…mm…" She seemed to lose her ability to speak, so she waved happily, smiling up at him as if he had been living in the mansion all along.

He almost lifted his hand to return her gesture…he had almost released a smile to reply to hers.

However, the foul monster who turned her appeared on the other side of the corridor—his other fledgling running up. "Celia! Come over here, Celia!" She called out, kneeling down to lift her up as the child seemed to waddle up to her like a duckling, her arms raised, waiting to be picked up, an ecstatic grin upon her face. The priest could barely hear her soft whisper of "sister".

Seras couldn't help but release a smile, and stood up straight, looking at the Paladin with cautious eyes, taking a few steps back closer to her master.

Anderson snarled as he glared at Alucard down the hallway, his emerald eyes clashing with the beast's crimson. "…"

The nosferatu smirked, gliding up behind Seras. "We hope that you enjoy your stay here, Catholic…" He bowed, almost to insult him. "Our hospitality has not been tested yet; let us hope this experiment lasts."

Seras sighed a bit, hopelessly, while the child in her arms seemed lost yet aware of what was going on. Anderson could see it in the girl's eyes—she knew that they were enemies.

But…was she questioning such a state of instability—why they had to be enemies? At such an age, she probably couldn't even comprehend hatred or the meaning of enemies and opposite sides. It must've looked rather silly to her.

Alucard grinned, looking down at Celia, picking her up out of Seras' arms. "Hello, my Little Fledgling…" He purred softly, pulling off his hat and resting it on top of her head. She giggled and looked up at him with a bright, pure smile.

Seras blinked up at her master with bewilderment at his odd tone of voice. Celia only giggled as the hat fell over her eyes again, hiding almost her entire skull. "Master!" With both hands, she pushed it up, looking at the elder with her wide, sparkling eyes of ruby wine, her large-canine teeth glistening in the dark as she beamed.

The priest stood, watching with some amount of horror and a trace of compassion, staring at the child. "…" Snapping back to his stern, malicious personality, he tightened the grip around his baggage and swiftly moved into his chamber, slamming the heavy door shut as if it were made of a light wood.

Celia flinched at the loud sound, while Seras blinked and Alucard simply grinned. "Master, why does Anderson have to be here, anyway?"

Turning around, still carrying the child in one arm, the Nosferatu shrugged carelessly. "Who can say…only Sir Integra and Maxwell know—perhaps you can ask one of them."

With a sigh, Seras nodded, expecting as much, before walking after him. "What should we do? Having the Paladin here might cause a problem for us…"

"That's right,"

"So shouldn't we take some defensive measures? Maybe we could have everyone arm themselves with pistols and such,"

"It would be wise," The tallest of the three smirked, glancing towards the Police Girl. "But it wouldn't be any fun…"

"Masterrr…" Seras pouted slightly, annoyed already by his violent, playful attitude.

"Police Girl," He growled the "r" slightly with his tongue, which made Celia, silent yet confused, giggle.

"Celia might be in the greatest danger, wouldn't you think? I mean…Anderson _really_ hates you, hates me…"

"And is still arguing with himself over Celia's fate," Alucard chuckled, patting Celia's back as she yawned, rubbing her healthy eye. "He does not hate her, nor does he love her—it's a neutral thing at this point. She is, in fact, in the least amount of danger out of the three of us,"

"…" The strawberry-blonde/red-haired (your choice) vampire fledgling looked up at him. "Neutrality isn't a good thing, Master…Like Elie Weisel said—'Neutrality helps the oppressor, not the victim.'"

"Ah—but who's the oppressor, and who is the victim?"

Seras frowned, her whole train of thought ruined by his constant questions after every statement. "I'm trying to make a point!"

The Little Fledgling pulled Alucard's hat off her head and looked up at Seras. "…Sister…is Mr. Anderson a bad person?" (…I suppose it's a pun now, shush…)

Alucard kept walking, as if he didn't wish to answer the question. His elder fledgling looked down at her, raising an eyebrow. "Well—he's…not part of Hellsing…he's killed many of our organization's soldiers; we call him an enemy."

"How come?" She cocked her head to one side, making it lean against Alucard's arm, her visible red eye wide with curiosity.

"…Well—I…well, I don't know," Seras admitted. "You'll have to ask someone else…"

They both considered asking the suddenly silent Alucard, but chose against it.

Alucard had a dark, menacing grin on his face for some reason.

Paladin Alexander growled in fury, clenching and unclenching his fists repetitively as he paced around his chamber.

It was a large room, filled with furniture, though it still had plenty of floor space. A bed was on the opposite wall of the door, next to a nightstand with a clock, an empty frame, a bible, and a statuette of the cross. Near the door, a fire place stood; the flames within it licking the brick and wood, "whooshing" and faintly crinkling against steel and block. Right by the other side of the door stood a tall mahogany dresser, where he had deposited his bag. A lamp and a row of books covered its counter, the books mainly concerning vampires, werewolves, and other night-creatures.

Why was he even here? He gritted his teeth together in frustration, soon giving up his tempered pacing and sitting on the bed. Before he departed for such a dank, unwanted manor, he had constantly hassled Maxwell of his presence there—what would it possibly do to permit them to finally destroy the Hellsing organization?

However, the leader of Iscariot's Section XIII bureau would only shake his head and smirk, stating that the sow's divine punishment would come in good, long time. For now, they had to form an alliance.

…Why?

Even Maxwell said he couldn't answer that.He and Integrahad formed a peace treaty almost psychically, as if they both sensed something horrible was to happen soon. If only they could tell him exactly _what_ so he could take care of the situation immediately.

Shaking his head, Anderson tried to change the subject. He failed to make it a better one.

His thoughts returned to the small, newest vampire. Celia Pares, a child who lost her family at such a young age, was now the youngest vampire he had ever known—or cared to know, for that matter. Why had Alucard changed her? Had he given her the choice? Did he pity her like Anderson would have while she was still human? What kind of life would she possibly lead now, as a miniature blood-sucker? Would they force her to become a weapon of Hellsing's military?

No…he would _not_ allow it; under any circumstances. She was already drinking blood; her position in an army would be disastrous. Even as a newborn vampire, she would still snap into a berserk personality and somehow manage to tear humans to shreds without a second thought or regret. Would her _master_ be able to help her then? Perhaps he and the monster of a man could have some sort of "peace treaty" themselves, so Celia's innocence could be preserved rather than corrupted by Alucard's insanity and thousands-of-years experience.

What the? Great. Now he was starting to think of alliances, as well as saving the life of an enemy.

…An enemy. Did he really think that of her? He shut his emerald eyes with an angry growl; perturbed, disgusted, and worried. She was a child—no more than six—not a soldier he could kill without regret by the blessed silver of his bayonets.

What was he supposed to do here?

Perhaps come up with another way of strengthening the cursed coalition. Otherwise he could find Celia and somehow try to keep her purity intact while he was at hand.

With all of his beliefs, powers, and soul, he hoped that even Alucard's other fledgling would do the same—she seemed humanoid enough to hold onto it, why wouldn't she help another?

If only he could somehow accept her as a real child and return with her to the orphanage…

But that would cause weakness for her, and fear and hatred from the other orphans he took care of.

Christ, why did she become a vampire…?


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hehehe…I love this fanfiction so much! I now dedicate this story to all who read and review, or just read, or...just...yeah!

Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will, despite how often I pray for it! I cry for myself…weep weep…I'M SORRY I TOOK SO LONG! Q.Q

**CHAPTER 13:**

One shot forced the bottom half of the cardboard target to collapse onto the floor. Seras grinned, lowering her huge weapon with a satisfied grunt, having just blown off the head of a target. She glanced behind her, Alucard releasing a few bored claps with a playful grin.

"How often do you practice, Police Girl?" He looked at her over the rim of his orange-red sunglasses; his hat resting upon Celia's head, who sat on the floor.

The vampyric family was located in the training compound. After Alucard had his fill of taunting Anderson for a while, he had declared that boredom would soon make chaos ensue in his mind if they did not do something remotely interesting to him. Finally, after many wanton and childish game choices by Celia, Seras suggested target practice. Hopes rose when he thought of _moving_ targets; namely Anderson or some of the lethargic soldiers that Sir Integra grew tired of; perhaps they could be of use to them. However, the Police Girl reminded him that the Hellsing Organization needed all the soldiers they had, and Anderson's death would lead to an all out war between Iscariot and Hellsing. Alucard's jovial bubble of bloodlust and death popped after that, and Seras instead led them to the complex.

"Eh…every other day, I think," She shrugged, unsure. The girl watched her Master drink the entire contents of a medical blood bag in one, long sip before tossing it to the ground to join three other bags. A giggle of ecstasy erupted from the newest fledgling as the bag plopped onto the others, knocking them all down from the small pyramid she had made.

"I see," Alucard didn't seem too impressed, but he was nearly pleased with his fill of blood; only two more to drink up and he'd be full for the week—or as full as Integra permitted.

Celia looked up at them while sitting on the floor, stacking Alucard's blood bags into a small pile with a content beam of pride; as if she had never had so much fun. "…" She turned her head to Alucard, her ruby eyes blinking a few times. "What did Seras just do?" Her eyes were filled with a wide curiosity for the large roar she had heard just moments ago, as well as the clatter from the cardboard target.

"She shot a gun," He said simply. Seras frowned lightly, knowing better.

"Master, it's like a cannon more than it is a gun…"

"…What's a gun?" Despite what she heard from her father and brothers, she had never seen what they called a pistol or revolver or rifle—whatever all those words were.

Alucard couldn't help but chuckle, while Seras scratched the back of her head. "Uh—well…a gun—a gun is a…"

"There are three meanings for it, which would you like, My Little Fledgling?" The Nosferatu released a feral and distorted grin, sniggering at the foulest definition of it. Seras understood his meaning and turned to hit the back of his head in repugnance, yelling his frequently used title angrily.

"_Master_! She's only a child!" Her hand, however, missed his head and swiped through shadow instead, his quick reflexes enabling him to avoid it without even moving.

The five-year-old watched with bewilderment while her sister yelled and Alucard only laughed loudly, his bone-chilling laugh creating a loud echo throughout the halls, frightening some soldiers in other areas of the compound. _How does he make the long hallways make lots of sounds?_

Pouting slightly and forgetting her question, Celia climbed to her feet and tugged on her master's trench coat, making him quiet his laughing and slowly stop when he looked down at her. "Master…" Her baby voice just barely sounded out the "er", making it sound like "ah" instead. Seras almost gushed with the temptation to hug how adorable the child was now, her question not yet answered; her method of discovering it making her cuter than possible.

"Master…What's a gun?" There was more of her curious yanking against his coat. "I want to know!" She puffed up her cheeks during her pout, prepared to jump up and down in the process of tugging his clothes should it be necessary. "Sister knows what it is…I want to know too!"

"Do you really?" Alucard grinned, lifting her up from under her arms, resting her on top of the table, where a few other medical bags had been scattered. "A gun is an instrument,"

Celia blinked a few times, mixing her knowledge of an instrument together.

"The ones that can hurt you, like a bat or stick,"

"Flutes and French horns can hurt too, Master," The Police Girl mumbled.

The tiny child seemed to understand though, and nodded lightly.

_This is a rather complicated subject to explain to a mere child…_Alucard thought to himself, smirking a bit, pulling out his precious Jackal, resting it next to his youngest fledgling on the table. "This…is a gun. When you pull this small lever," He tapped his finger near the trigger, Celia's head hovering over the piece of metal, nodding a bit. "A small rock shoots out of the barrel." The Nosferatu wiggled his extremity near the hole at the end of the barrel, which was facing Celia; fortunately he had the pistol on a safety-lock. "Now, this rock is called a bullet, and is very painful…It's made of pure, blessed silver. When it's shot out of that hole," Again, he gestured to the opening nearest her. "The bullet travels fast enough to end up stuck midway through these walls, and blow through some of it as well."

The interest that the little fledgling had grew in astonishment, glancing around at the cold stone walls, pointing to them. "Those?" When she saw him nod, she released an excited, long declaration of "wow!"

Police Girl smiled a bit, but it disappeared at the thought of Celia actually shooting the thing. Would Integra make her use one later on? She hoped not…The child could barely understand the point of it; let alone try to shoot it.

Her thoughts seemed to be read by Alucard when he lifted the Jackal up, holding it to Celia. "Would you like to try?"

"Master!" Seras screamed, standing straight, tempted to take his gun out of his hand; though he would most likely become enraged if she touched something so precious.

"Nguh…Try?" Lifting her head, Celia stared at the gun, poking its black case curiously, the instinctive nosiness of her childish mind nodding lightly.

"No! Celia, you can't…you're too young to try something like that!" Once again, she watched Celia's cheeks puff up in her baby pout, but the child didn't dare to argue; past experiences telling her that it was not wise to do so. Troubled and annoyed, Seras looked angrily up at her sire. "Master, you can't let her shoot a gun! Even as a vampire, she probably can't even lift it properly! You'll scare her!"

Alucard studied Celia's features for a moment then looked up at Police Girl. "She will be asked to try someday…why not now, so she can refuse then?"

"I'd rather her try later when she's accustomed to everything _else_ that happens here, _Master_." Seras crossed her arms angrily, crimson eyes to blood red. "Need I remind you that she has only been conscious within the manor for two or three days?" Her inquiry was stern, demanding; not the voice of a slave or loyal fledgling.

Tracing a slight amount of rage in his eyes, she wished she had made the question less demanding of an answer, her eyebrows curving to a look of worry for what consequences would possibly occur.

"Master Alucard…" Celia had been staring up at him, startled by an emotion she was dully used to from her brothers before. "I don't want Seras to get mad at me…" She smiled sweetly, pulling his hat's rim out of her eyes. "It's not good for sisters to fight! That's what my mummy told me a lot, and, uh…" Her head lowered a bit, her eyes looking up at him almost in an expression of shame. "I don't like getting scared…my brothers did that all the time,"

Seras sighed lightly, while the eldest of the three stared down at Celia with his ember eyes. "…Yes, I suppose it's important for a child to…listen to her mother,"

The girl nodded and smiled proudly, clutching her small fingers together. "Uh-huh! My mum was the best!"

"I suppose she was, little one…" Alucard grinned, deciding to change the odd, rather bore-inducing subject, standing up, hiding the Jackal within his cloak again. "What do you say we pester Walter to give us more blood?"

"Aw…I don't want Mr. Walter to get mad…" Celia whined. Seras smiled, sighing with immense relief as the subject concerning weapons was over. However, now she had to be bothered by her Master's nagging of drinking blood, though she had plenty of it earlier.

"Well, then we'll just have to _beg_, won't we?" The child couldn't help but giggle when Alucard emphasized the word "beg". An odd image entered the mind of Seras, and she struggled to brush it off. "Begging" wasn't the right word to use for Alucard, she could only see huge bubbly eyes on his face, and that would make her laugh hysterically should he try that.

When the three of them exited the chamber, Alucard instantly halted, staring down the dark corridor. One eye seemed to bulge out of its socket as he grinned, his wild vampire instincts kicking back into place. "Look who's here, girls."

_Oh, God._ Seras rolled her eyes a bit. _He sounded like a pimp just then…_

_It's so nice to hear you say something humorous for a change, Police Girl._

Celia blinked then gasped a bit in excitement, though it was quiet. "Mr. Anderson!"

The Paladin growled slightly, hatred always filling his head to the brim with ways to kill Alucard, distracting him and clouding his mind from common sense. He had to be calm; show compassion to the child that the old vampire could not; humanistic empathy that she still had to experience. Even if the damned blood-sucker who turned her plagued him for it, he had to show the child that he did not want to be her enemy.

"Eh—Evenin'," He grunted, struggling with all of his power to unclench his shaking fists.

Alucard nodded his head in reply, though he still carried his psychotic grin. "Did you get bored sitting in your chamber, priest?"

"Ah did, actually. Ah dinna want to read vampire books." Anderson was tempted to spit in contempt at such writing. Half the time the entire book was only based on opinion, not fact—and other times, the vampires died far too easily with information that was incomplete or incorrect.

"I see." The nosferatu glanced down at Celia in his arms when she tugged on the collar of his coat. "…What is it, my little fledgling?"

Seras gained an expression of dread for some reason, as if she could tell exactly what Celia wanted to do.

"…um…" Nervousness and her shy nature took over and she started playing with the blood red tie Alucard wore. "I—,"

Seras and Anderson both waited and stared, while Alucard smiled comfortingly—or as close to the emotion as a vampire could get—and slowly rested his gloved hand on top of her head. "You want to play with the priest, don't you?"

The Paladin's eyes widened with shock, his hands finally releasing the fists they held. Seras gaped in astonishment, blinking constantly as if she had gone blind. The five-year-old lifted her head in surprise, but nodded with a smile, holding her hands close to her face, hoping it wouldn't cause trouble. "Mm-hmm!"

"What do you think, Police Girl?" Alucard once again looked up at the Iscariot pawn, grinning darkly. "Should we let Celia play with Father Anderson?"

"Uh—well…" Seras glanced cautiously at the only human in the area, almost as if she were afraid that he would attack her at any given moment; and looked up at her Master. "Only if you think it's _safe_, Master…"

"Heh, she'll be fine. Unless they leave the manor, then I'll just have to fetch her and decide that right then will be… 'nap time.'" Celia's excitement made her bounce lightly up and down in Alucard's long arms, her gaze towards Anderson, her childish mind somehow sensing his compatibility with children.

He was simply staring at her, the emerald green of his eyes nearly hidden by his dilated pupils. This was his chance—his chance to change the abhorrence he held for the vampyric freak and his advocate in Hellsing into tolerance for the newest addition of their group—Celia Pares.

Anderson was snapped out of his reverie when he saw her wine-hued hair appear just above his lowered gaze. Alucard had put her down; she was nearly standing in front of him already, his vision still noting the slight rosy pink in her cheeks—proving she was still satisfied with her blood intake for whatever amount of time it required for her—maybe a day or two.

That was good; hopefully she wouldn't try to drink blood or anything when Alucard and Seras were gone.

"We'll see you later, my little fledgling, Anderson," Alucard bowed his head a bit, Seras nodded as well. Celia grinned brightly and waved to them as they walked down the hall, leaving Anderson and her alone.

There was a long silence. The child turned her head up to the priest, cocking it to one side in curiosity as she watched his eyes fade from utter hatred or anger to patient and honest. He glanced down at her, half-dreading and half-anticipating the discussion they would have concerning each other.

"Weel, I spose we should find ae different place tae sit, eh, lassie?" Anderson gazed at the ruby hue of Celia's eyes softly, holding a light smile on his lips. With a small exhale of what sounded like relief, Celia nodded with a smile, her eyes closed.

This could be his chance…

This would be the only real chance to become an ally to Celia. Would Maxwell approve? What about the rest of the Hellsing lot? Should he find it _wise_ or _foolhardy_ to become a friend of such an organization? Combined, Iscariot and Hellsing could prove to be an unstoppable force, purging the world of demons, freaks and heathens. However, with Alucard, Seras, and the vampyric child before him included in the association of Hellsing, it would be a rather hypocritical purpose indeed.

While he stared down at her, considering so many different things, Celia watched him; wondering why Sir Integra called him an enemy. What exactly was an enemy, anyway? Why was Anderson one? Would she be one if he was her friend? A serious expression grew across her face, determined, amazingly mature for her age.

As she had heard her mum and dad once say, "If God so desires, it will happen, no matter what the circumstance."

_It'll happen_. Celia's smile returned to her face and she followed him as they walked down the hallway, her small hand holding a handful of cloth from his coat. _God loves Father's, right? He'll let us be friends…_

…_But will Master Alucard?_

Her gaze lowered to the floor at the thought, and the gesture caught Anderson's eyes.

"…" His emerald eyes stared down at her for a long moment before turning back to the corridor.

_Ya cursed monster…If ye allow thon child tae suffer withoot humanity, ah swear upon ye precious organization tha' ah weel destroy ye._

Enemies, allies; friends, foes; which would the outcome be?


End file.
